prayer for victory and requital; triumph of the Cause
Editorial introduction
Victory, Bahá’u’lláh testifies in the middle of a prayer, is His loved ones being aided to know God and enabled to remember and praise Him. The definition is startling from a community that was captive, scattered and persecuted. In the same breath He asks that His enemies be aided to return to God; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá begs that those who wronged Him have their diseases healed and the veils lifted from their eyes; triumph is sought through love and the light of the teachings rather than through contention. None of this silences the anguish. Bábí and Bahá’í prayers alike cry out against oppressors, call on the Avenger, and ask for judgment, and those cries keep their own settings. Alongside them stand petitions for wisdom, and a confidence that the fruits of service lie far beyond what any present generation can see. Paul’s counsel in Romans, leaving vengeance to God while feeding a hungry enemy and overcoming evil with good, holds the same tension within a few verses [1]. The way continues into rendering assistance to God, the meaning of victory itself, and the growth of the Cause.
O Lord! Seize them through Thy power, then aid Thy loved ones through Thy loving-kindness and Thy handmaidens through Thy grace. I testify at this moment that victory is their being aided to know Thee and enabled to remember and praise Thee.
O My Most Exalted Pen! Say: My God, my God! Thou seest Thy unified friends among Thy tyrannical servants, and Thou knowest what hath befallen them in Thy path in Thy days, and Thou hearest what the wicked among Thy creatures and the wolves of Thy earth have said and continue to say regarding them. I beseech Thee by Thy Call which was raised before the faces of all mankind, and by Thy Most Great Name which hath encompassed earth and heaven, and by the Word which Thou didst manifest from the Tree in the Mount of Knowledge, and by the Fire which spoke to the Son of 'Imran, to aid Thine enemies to return unto Thee and to acknowledge what Thou hast sent down in Thy Book, and to open before the faces of Thy friends the doors of Thy grace and mercy.
O handmaidens of the All-Merciful! Adverse winds have encompassed the Lamp of the Covenant, and the birds of pride have surrounded the Nightingale of the Rose-garden of the Testament. The oppressors have stretched forth the hand of tyranny, and the wrongdoers, like ravens of malice, lie in ambush. The waves of rebellion have assailed the Ark of the Covenant, and the mere babes in the cradle have, from every direction, loosed their tongues in derision against the Temple of the Covenant. The arrows of calumny fly from every direction, and the armies of tyranny advance from every quarter in oppression and hostility. Affairs have reached such a pass that the old hyena hath opened his mouth in calumny, spread pages of doubt, and attributed such statements to this servant that, were any soul to possess an atom of discernment, he would cry out: "Glory be unto Thee! This is a grievous calumny!"
From these very utterances it is evident that this servant is innocent of such statements. The words of 'Abdu'l-Baha are clear, and the speech of the denizen of the Supreme Concourse is manifest. Never can the cooing of the Dove be mistaken for the croaking of the raven of hatred, nor can the melodies of the birds of holiness be confused with the cries of crows and magpies. The screech of the falcon soaring in the heights of glory can never resemble the screeching and moaning of the owls of oppression. The glorification and praise of the Supreme Concourse can never accord with the ranting of the rabble in the lowest depths.
Refer to that which hath flowed from the pen of 'Abdu'l-Baha and observe it with care. You will see that these base utterances bear not the slightest resemblance to the melodies of this Bird of mortality. Nay, by God! This vainglorious one imagineth that if he were to call darkness light, the mindless would acquiesce, and were he to name pure light the darkest night, the witless would believe it. Should he, at one moment, praise a single soul as divine, all would accept it, and should he, the next moment, accuse that same one of heresy, all would acknowledge it. Were he to condemn someone one day as satanic and deprived of heavenly grace, all would say, "This is the manifest truth," and were he the next day to praise that same person as the essence of divine mercy, all would accept it and cry out, "This indeed is the true word!"
Thus hath he written in his own hand regarding the Center of Sedition--and this letter still existeth--"Make but one prostration, and set thyself and the whole world at ease." And likewise, concerning the Center of Sedition, he wrote in another letter, which still existeth in his handwriting, that ten years before the Ascension he had said to Haji Muhammad-Husayn-i-Kashi: "This person is a mirage, not water. He is absolutely nothing." And this was before his violation of the Covenant. Consider then what manner of person he now is!
These are the words of that old hyena who formerly opened his tongue in praise and arose in worship, considering him a brilliant star and his mirage to be "cool and refreshing drink." He called the flame of the Covenant the darkest night and deemed the shining moon of the Covenant as the darkness of both worlds. And yet, in his own handwriting, there existeth his confession of divinity and his praise with divine attributes. Why dost thou not cry out "Am I not your Lord?" Cry out, for he hath already answered "Yea, yea!" However, the Day-Star of the Covenant did not accept this address and utterance from him and commanded that he be addressed only in terms of servitude.
Glory be to God! What fickleness is this, and what hesitation! What weakness is this, and what feebleness! What crab-like motion is this, and what chameleon-like changes! Though this person hath until now published several treatises in opposition to the Center of the Covenant, this servant hath not penned a single word concerning him. But as in these days some calumnious pages from him have reached these shores and been examined, were silence to be maintained, perchance some of the ignorant might believe these falsehoods and fall into grievous trial.
Examine carefully the countenance of that shameless one in the photograph. Observe that in those brazen eyes there is not the slightest trace of modesty. Nay, by God! That it may become evident that "The guilty shall be known by their marks" and "Their faces shall be covered with dust--darkness shall cover them."
O my God, my God! Thou seest me captive in the hands of these oppressors, abased beneath the lash of these antagonists, wronged by the successive volleys of arrows and repeated thrusts of spears from those possessed of rancor and rebellion, who have violated Thy Covenant, denied Thy Testament, made mock of Thy Will, derided Thy chosen ones, rejected Thy signs, disputed Thy proof, perverted Thy Word, and denied Thy mercy and altered Thy favor. O Lord! Through Thy supreme power, cast down their banners, heal their diseases, erase their traces, silence their melodies, remove the veil from their eyes, break the seal of their hearts and ears, and guide them to the path of Thy Covenant. Grant them a portion of Thy effulgent light. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.
Say: My God, my God! Aid Thy servants to assist Thy Cause through the wisdom which Thou hast sent down in Thy perspicuous Book.
I beseech Thee by those who have quaffed the wine of supreme steadfastness before the faces of all peoples, to assist me in all conditions to help Thy Cause and exalt Thy Word and to manifest that which Thou hast commanded me in Thy Tablets with wisdom and utterance.
O Lord! Protect Thy Afnan from the evil of Thine enemies who have disbelieved in Thy proof, turned away from Thy Manifestation and Thy signs, and ordain for each one of them to assist Thy Cause among Thy creation and to make mention of Thee with wisdom and utterance before the people of Thy realm.
O my Lord! I beseech Thee by this powerlessness to assist my loved ones through Thy grace, then gather them beneath Thy banner in this Day wherein every atom testifies that sovereignty belongs to God, the Omnipotent, the Unconstrained.
We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to transform this weakness into strength and this abasement into glory.
I beseech Thee by Thy Self to manifest through Thy sovereignty that which shall transform sorrow into joy and abasement into glory.
O my God! Thou seest and knowest that the oppressors have wronged Thy loved ones who have turned toward the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration and the Source of Thy Cause, and have driven them, together with their children and their women, from their homeland - though they had manifested naught except that which Thou didst command them through Thy Most Exalted Pen. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Most Glorious Name, to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty that which shall exalt the believers and abase the ungodly.
My God, my God! Thou seest Thy sincere servants scattered throughout the regions, and beholdest Thy assured bondsmen dispersed in all directions among the heedless, calling people to the fountainhead of certitude, guiding them to the Straight Path, and giving them to drink from the Spring of Tasneem. Yet the opponents shoot at them with penetrating arrows and attack them like ravening wolves and fierce beasts, making them taste grievous torment. O Lord! Aid them with hosts from Thy glorious Kingdom, support them with Thy wondrous favor, assist them with Thy manifest sovereignty, and make smooth their path, O my Glorious Lord!
O Lord! Thou seest how the wolves have seized Thy sheep, through whom the rain of Thy mercy hath poured forth from the clouds of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee to assist Thy party through the hosts of the seen and the unseen. Verily Thou art God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.
O Lord! I beseech Thee by these wrongs which have caused every person of insight and understanding to weep, to aid Thy loved ones whom Thou seest beneath the claws of the oppressors. O Lord! Strengthen them through Thy power and sovereignty.
O thou who gazest toward the Most Sublime Horizon! It behooveth Us and thee and every believer to hold fast unto the cord of God's loving-kindness, the Lord of creation. We beseech from Him victory and deliverance for His servants who are encompassed by the ships of misbelief and the cannons of unbelief. O my Lord! Thou seest Thy weak servants - where is Thy strength, O Lord of the worlds, and where is Thy power, O Creator of the nations?
O Lord! Thou seest Thy party among the parties and beneath the claws of a pack of wolves. I beseech Thee, O Lord of Lords, by Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers and Thy Books, and by Him Whom Thou hast established in Thy stead in the kingdom of creation and chosen from among the Prophets to manifest Thy hidden mystery, O Creator of heaven and Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names!
Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the hearts of them that know Thee and the Object of worship of all who are in the heavens and on earth! Thou seest how darkness hath encompassed all lands to such extent that Thy party among Thy servants lamenteth. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of the Day-Star of Thy justice and the splendors of the Sun of Thy Word to ordain through Thy Most Exalted Pen for those who have turned to Thee, O Thou Owner of Names, that which Thou didst ordain for Thy loved ones and chosen ones.
I beseech Thee by the light whereby Thou didst deliver Noah and his companions, and didst make the fire cool for Thy Friend despite his enemies, and whereby Thou didst manifest Thy straight path and make it the herald of Thy mighty News, to deliver them through Thy grace and bounty.
My Lord! Judge between me and them with truth, and send down unto me victory from Thy presence, and deliver me from this heedless land and its people, and make me to triumph over the transgressors.
Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the blood that hath been shed in Thy path, and by that which hath befallen the Manifestation of Thyself in the Land of Ta through the tyranny of Thine enemies and the injury inflicted by the wicked ones among Thy creatures, to aid Thy servants to turn unto Thee and to arise to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.
Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of eternity and Sovereign of the nations, Who calleth out through the Most Great Name! I beseech Thee by the blood of Thy near ones which was shed in Thy days for love of Thee, and by the hearts of them that are aflame with love for Thee, which were pierced by the arrows of the enemies in Thy path and for the manifestation of Thy Cause, to assist Thy loved ones to remember Thee and praise Thee and to stand firm in this Cause, than which no greater hath been ordained in Thy dominion and Thy realm.
The Most Holy, the Most Glorious! This is a remembrance from Us to him who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Bestower, that the Call of God may attract him in such wise that the oppression of the oppressors and the gathering of them that have disbelieved in God when He came in the shadows of the clouds will in no wise affect him. We behold thee among them that have turned away. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Be thou at peace, then stand firm.
Say: O people! Is this the Day of doubt after the Promised One hath come with sovereignty and power? Fear ye God and deny not Him Whose sovereignty hath encompassed the horizons. Who else but Him could establish the Cause, if ye be fair, O company of transgressors? Through Him were raised the standards of triumph and the banners of remembrance were hoisted throughout all lands. Say: Doth it beseem anyone to turn unto a fly, turning away from the All-Bountiful? This indeed is a strange thing! Say: Leave ye the rivulet and behold the Most Great Ocean before your faces, if ye be of them that perceive, O ye that have eyes to see!
Say: By my Lord, the All-Merciful! But for Him the Bayan would not have been revealed, nor would the Tablets of God, the Mighty, the Exalted, the Unconstrained, have been sent down. Break ye the idol of vain imaginings through the power of certitude, turning unto the Dayspring of inspiration. The Bayan was revealed for My name and was adorned with My remembrance, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. He made the Bayan dependent upon My leave and a leaf from My Paradise, yet ye assail Me with the arrows of hatred. What aileth you, O company of wolves? Read ye it that ye may recognize this Day wherein the proof circleth round the throne of your Lord, the All-Merciful.
But for the Glory who would help God in secret and in public? By My life! Were these people to ponder what hath appeared in this Revelation, they would cast the world behind their backs and hasten unto the Kaaba of Him Who is in earth and heaven. Grieve thou not. Put thy trust in God. He, verily, will help whom He willeth through His power and sovereignty.
Say: O my God! Thou beholdest me among Thine enemies who have disbelieved in Thee and turned away from Thy beauty after that which they were promised in Thy Book and Thy Tablets. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Name through which the fragrance of the garment of Thy mercy was wafted throughout Thy dominions, to help me in all conditions and to ordain for me the recompense of such as have arisen to serve Thy Cause and have remained steadfast in Thy love. O my Lord! Aid me to help Thee in Thy lands, then write down for me that which Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who were martyred in Thy path. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name round which circle all names, and by him who hath been afflicted in Thy path amidst the enemies, that Thou aid him through the wonders of Thy succour and leave him not to himself, through Thy bounty and Thy favors.
O God! I beseech You as a captive beseeches the Supreme King, and I implore You as one bound in chains of iron implores the Mighty Pillar, to assist Your loved ones in this new age and glorious century in whatever You love and desire. O Lord! Make firm their feet, raise their banners, spread their lights, illumine their mysteries, strengthen their appearance, and gird up their loins until their light shines forth brilliantly.
O my God! I press my brow and cover my face with the dust of lowliness, impotence and contrition, beseeching Thee at eventide and at dawn, supplicating before Thee in the darkness of night and the bright light of day, that Thou mayest assist Thy servant, who hath turned unto Thee in humility and submission and repentance, with the hosts of power and might and the armies of glory and dominion against every aggressive doubter and sinner mentioned in the Book and every contemptible impostor from among the people of the veil.
O God, my God! I supplicate to the Kingdom of Thy sanctification and the Dominion of Thy oneness, confessing my grievous sins and acknowledging my great transgressions, submitting and humbling myself before Thy sovereignty that prevails over all things, imploring Thy mighty dominion that encompasses the world of creation, that Thou would confirm and strengthen the pillars of the house of Thy manifest religion, Thy straight path, and Thy exemplary way among humanity, and reinforce the backs of Thy loved ones in Thy noble Cause and mighty Message, O my Most Exalted Lord, and exalt Thy supreme Word and diffuse the fragrances of Thy holiness throughout all regions, and make manifest Thy luminous Law and Thy bright Faith among the people.
O Lord! The bones of Thy loved ones have weakened through intense hardship and tribulation, the earth with all its vastness has grown narrow for them, crises have intensified from all directions, calamities have encompassed them, and hope has nearly been cut off.
O Lord! Take them not to task for the deeds of the foolish ones, the heedlessness of the ignorant, the tyranny of the base, the discord of the vile, and the hypocrisy of the simple ones who speak Thy remembrance yet deviate, who make claims yet do not act upon them, and who wander about in their stupor.
O Lord! Expand the breasts of the sincere ones through witnessing the manifest light, heal the hearts of the believers with the cup of Thy grace overflowing with the living waters, open before their faces the gates of ease, shine upon them the lights of joy, shower upon them the rains of bounty, and assist them with the lions of guidance, until the birds of holiness warble in those verdant gardens, and the lions of truth roar in those mighty thickets, and the whales of mystical knowledge swim in those vast pools.
Say: "O my Lord! I have turned with my whole being to the Dawning-Place of the signs of Thy oneness, and have turned away from those who have opposed the Dayspring of Thy Cause. Preserve me, O my God, beneath the shadow of Thy great mercy. Then make me to be of those who have stood firm in Thy Cause, who have been faithful to Thy Covenant, and who have cast behind their backs all who are in the realm. Ordain for me, O my God, the victory of Thy Cause and Thy remembrance amongst Thy servants, and disappoint me not of that which Thou hast ordained for the choicest among Thy creatures.
O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy power which hath encompassed all things, that Thou assist these souls with the wonders of Thy succor, strengthen them through Thy might, and make them victorious over Thine enemies, that thereby the manifestations of Thy power may appear among Thy servants and the revelations of Thy might among Thy creatures.
Though I know, O my God, that Thou wert with Thy loved ones from all eternity and wilt be with them through Thy sovereignty and majesty, and that what hath befallen them from Thy enemies shall be their recompense with Thee, nevertheless I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Avenger, to send down upon some of Thy enemies that which shall cause their souls to tremble in this world and in the next.
O my Lord! Chastise those who denied Thy most great signs and neglected Thy Cause by following their own selves and their desires.
O Lord! Cut off the hands that were stretched forth against them in tyranny and oppression, and the tongues that were extended against them in hatred and enmity. Then turn back upon them what they intended against those who sought the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy inspiration.
O Lord! Purify the earth from Thy enemies, that thereby the faces of Thy chosen ones may be illumined and all may hasten to the sea, each wave of which proclaimeth: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the worlds!
Then send down upon them what Thou hast ordained for them in the kingdom of Thy decree, strengthen them through Thy might, and exalt them through Thy power over Thine enemies, that Thou mayest cleanse Thy earth of those who have denied Thy Self, rejected Thy proof, and repudiated Thy signs.
O my Lord! I beseech Thee by what Thou art, to send down from the right hand of Thy power that which shall exalt Thy loved ones and abase Thine enemies.
Therefore, O God, seize Thine enemies with the assaults of Thy wrath, and aid Thy chosen ones with the breezes of Thy glory. There is no God but Thee, and no Mighty One besides Thee.
I beseech God to inflict the severest punishment upon those who acted proudly against You and transgressed against You, for He is most severe in might and in retribution. May God bestow favor upon those who were guided by Your guidance, and may He grant, through His grace and mercy, His good pleasure to those who are pleased with Your good pleasure, as befits His supreme generosity and bounty, for He is the Munificent, the Inaccessible.
I beseech Thee, O God, by Thy name O God, O Most Merciful, O Sovereign, then by Thy name O First, then by Thy name O Last, then by Thy name O Manifest, then by Thy name O Hidden, that Thou shouldst bless the Bayan and its people, and punish those who opposed it, denied it, rejected its Cause and usurped its rights, and that Thou shouldst seize them with Thy grip and all Thy power of the Almighty, the Compelling, the Severe, the Subduing, the Seizing, the Forceful, and the Avenging. Verily, Thou art the most severe in might and the most severe in vengeance.
O God! I beseech Thee by Thy Divinity which is exalted above all things, to punish every being of Alif associated with the Tree of Negation, by Thy Sovereignty which is sanctified above all things. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Severe.
Obligatory Prayer for Every Friday Night:
In the Name of God, the Most Overwhelming, the Most Overwhelming! Glory be to Thee, O God! Destroy Thou every possessor of the letter Alif who believeth not in Him Whom Thou shalt make manifest, the Manifestation of Thy Greatest Proof, by Thy Divinity which is indeed exalted above all things. Verily Thou art powerful over all things.
Therefore, O God, hasten Thy vengeance and retribution upon those who worship Thee not and prostrate not before Thee. Verily, Thou hast ever been the Subduer of all things, the Manifest above all things, the Powerful over all things, the Exalted above all things, the Inaccessible above all things, the Most High in the heights of all things, the Sovereign over all things, [Supreme] above all things, and the Guardian over all Thou hast created and fashioned.
Send down, O my God, from Thy presence, one possessed of severe might and tremendous power. Send down, O my God, from Thy presence a sovereign upon the earth until no trace of the unbelievers remaineth. Send down, O my God, a king upon the earth, then aid him with Thy hosts and with the like thereof.
In the Name of God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee to witness, and all things witness in this night which Thou hast made great, majestic, excellent, mighty, and honored above all else through Thy bounty, Thy grace, Thy generosity, Thy bestowal, Thy munificence, and Thy mercy. Thou hast clothed it in the garment of sorrow for the Manifestation of Thy Countenance, Who is Thy Beauty, the Cloak of Thine Eternity, the King of the glory of Thy Lordship, and the Sovereign of the justice of Thy Self-Subsistence. Thou art God; there is no God but Thee, alone with no partner. Thine is the Kingdom and the Dominion, Thine the Glory and the Might, Thine the Power and the Divinity, Thine the Strength and the Ruby. Thou givest life and causest death, then causest death and givest life. Verily, Thou art the Ever-Living Who dieth not, the Justice that erreth not, the Sovereign that changeth not, and the [...] that passeth not away. Nothing escapeth Thy grasp, whether in the heavens or on earth or between them. Thou createst what Thou willest [...] Thou hast ever been All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Omnipotent.
I testify, O my Beloved, that Thou hast ever existed before all things, bringing all things into being, existing after all things, existing with all things, and existing above all things. Thou wilt ever remain one God, Single, Unique, Eternal, Living, Self-Subsisting, Wise, Just, Holy, Everlasting, Self-Dependent. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, and Thou hast no partner in what Thou hast created, nor any helper in what Thou hast fashioned. Thou hast held the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them through Thy power, and Thou hast ordered the measures of all things through the wondrous crafting of Thy Lordship. Thou hast formed the creation of all things through the manifestations of Thy mighty Self-Subsistence, and Thou hast ordained the matter of the kingdom of Thy heaven and the dominion of Thy sovereignty through the signs of Thy mighty Oneness. Thou hast drawn unto Thyself those whom Thou hast created by Thy command through the glances of Thy mighty Belovedness.
How exalted, O my God, is Thy sublimity, and O my God, O my Beloved, Thy transcendence! Thou hast ever been established over all things, powerful over all things, knowing all things, ruling over all things, witnessing above all things, subduing all contingent beings, [...] over all existing things, mighty over all created things, inaccessible to all in the kingdom of earth and heavens, exalted above all in the kingdom of names and attributes, transcendent above all atoms, sovereign above all similitudes and allusions, supreme above all geometry and indications, manifest above all metaphors and appearances, mighty above all essences, supreme above all identities, compelling above all egos, powerful above all beings, and stern above all that can be mentioned of similitudes and conditions.
I beseech Thee by the wondrous manifestations of Thy sovereignty, the hidden treasures of the mystery of Thy Divinity, the holy signs of Thy Self-Subsistence, the conditions of Thy holy might, and the revelations of the King of the might of Thy Belovedness, that Thou send down in this hour upon Thy Proof, whom Thou hast chosen for Thy Cause, approved for Thy love, elected for the exaltation of Thy Word, and distinguished for the inaccessibility of Thy Lordship. Thou hast clothed him in the garments of Thy might and grandeur with the most resplendent of all Thy splendor, the most majestic of all Thy majesty, the most beautiful of all Thy beauty, the most magnificent of all Thy magnificence, the most luminous of all Thy light, the most extensive of all Thy mercy, the most perfect of all Thy words, the greatest of all Thy names, the mightiest of all Thy glory, the most decisive of all Thy will, the most penetrating of all Thy knowledge, the most powerful of all Thy might, and the most pleasing of all Thy utterance.
Of all Thy qualities, I love the most endearing and the most impregnable, of all Thy bounties the most ancient, of all Thy sovereignty the most enduring, of all Thy dominion the most glorious, of all Thy signs the most wondrous, and of all that Thou hast loved or wilt love, that which befitteth the glory of Thy sacred and transcendent majesty and the splendor of Thy good-pleasure, O King of singular sovereignty. And I beseech Thee to send down upon him who hath shown arrogance towards Him that which befitteth the loftiness of Thy justice and the sublimity of Thy power, and upon him who hath believed in Him and been content with His good-pleasure that which befitteth the exaltation of Thy grace and the supremacy of Thy generosity. And do Thou send down upon His exalted station that which shall cause His eyes to be gladdened, for verily Thou art the One Who hath power to do what He willeth in all places and bounds, and Who is mighty to accomplish what He desireth throughout all geometric forms and manifestations. All bow down in submission around Thy Will, all worship around Thy Desire, all are devoutly obedient around Thy Power, all are humbled around Thy Decree, all are reverent around Thy Permission, all stand around Thy Majesty, all are mindful around Thy Book.
I shall glorify Thee, O my God, in this hour beyond all that hath glorified Thee or will glorify Thee. I shall praise Thee, O my God, at this moment with all that hath praised Thee or will praise Thee. I shall proclaim Thy unity, O my God, through all that hath proclaimed Thy unity or will proclaim it. I shall magnify Thee, O my God, above all that hath magnified Thee or will magnify Thee. I shall exalt Thee, O my God, beyond all that hath exalted Thee or will exalt Thee. I shall sanctify Thee, O my God, from all that hath sanctified Thee or will sanctify Thee. And I shall thank Thee, O my God, for all that hath thanked Thee or will thank Thee - content with Thy decree, patient in Thy implementation, anticipating Thy cure, seeking victory through Thy sovereignty, seeking elevation through Thy signs, seeking splendor through Thy glory, seeking majesty through Thy grandeur, seeking beauty through Thy grace, seeking greatness through Thy magnificence, seeking illumination through Thy light, seeking might through Thy power, seeking exaltation through Thy transcendence, seeking dominion through Thy sovereignty, seeking pride in the kingdom of Thy divine lordship, seeking precedence through Thy will, seeking bounty through Thy favors, seeking vigilance through Thy watchfulness.
How exalted is Thy grace, O my God, above all contingent beings, and how resplendent is Thy generosity, O my Beloved, above all created things! All seek to veil themselves from Thy Self through something, while Thou desirest to make Thyself known to all things. All seek to enslave themselves through something rather than the commands of Thy glorious sovereignty, while Thou desirest to draw all unto the horizon of Thy bounty and Thy good-pleasure. For Thou hast ever been independent of all things and self-sufficient above all things, never ceasing to be the Most Generous and the Supreme Bestower. The veils of the veiled ones and the remoteness of those who are far removed have never diminished the treasuries of Thy Cause, for all things have ever been and will ever remain prostrate in Thy grasp and humbled in the right hand of Thy might.
Therefore, O my God, do Thou send down at this moment upon the Tree of Divine Unity in the Bayan, and upon its branches, leaves, and fruits, that which shall make us victorious over the earth and all who dwell thereon, and shall fill Thy heavens and Thy earth and all that lieth between them with the truth that there is none other God but Thee, the Lord of Glory and Majesty, the Lord of Grandeur and Beauty, [...] and Perfection, the Lord of Sovereignty and Sublimity, the Lord of Might and Deeds, the Lord of Likeness and Similitudes, the Lord of Power and Justice, the Lord of Mercy and Grace, the Lord of Greatness and Independence, the Lord of Strength and Invincible Strategy, the Lord of Joy and Gladness, the Lord of Gifts and Detachment, the Lord of Glory and Inaccessibility, the Lord of Radiance and Exaltation, the Lord of Grandeur and Transcendence, the Lord of Earthly and Heavenly Dominion, the Lord of Might and Celestial Power, the Lord of Divine Omnipotence and Divinity.
O Thou Who art the Lord of Power and of the Ruby, the Bearer of the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Exalted Examples, the Possessor of the Most Great Signs and the Most Great Manifestations, and the Lord of the Treasuries that have been and shall ever be! They verily are eternal. Whatsoever Thou hast loved, O my God, of that which Thou hast created or wilt create in the latter and former times - all belongeth to Thee and is within Thy grasp. None hath anything save through Thy Will, and naught can be through anything save through Thy Purpose. This is a night wherein voices are raised unto Thee from all created things, and the hands of all beings are stretched forth before Thee. Thou seest all things while no thing seeth Thee, and Thou hearest the voice of all things while no thing heareth what every thing uttereth, for unto every call from Thee there is a present hearing and a manifest answer from Thy presence. But when Thou sayest, "O My creation! How do ye call upon Me when I have created a Word and made it the Manifestation of My Self and sent down upon it My verses, if ye were of them that believed in My signs aforetime? Ye call upon Me by that which I revealed in My Book, the Qur'an, aforetime, yet how is it that ye veil yourselves from meeting Me in the Manifestation of My Self and follow not My signs from the Dayspring of My glory? Nay, by My glory, none of your supplications shall be answered unless ye believe in the Manifestation of My Self and are assured of My signs. How then can your calls be answered if ye were truthful in your words?"
Glory be unto Thee, O God! This is what Thou hast revealed that I might beseech Thee by Thy grace and mercy to raise up a soul possessed of might that it may purify the earth and all that is therein, and transform all Thy fire into Thy light, for all desire Thy good-pleasure but are veiled by that which they possess of knowledge. Therefore, O God, reach all Thy creation, for they worship Thee yet are unconscious of aught, and they think they strive in Thy service while they stand before the Sovereign of Thy might, after which they understand nothing. Raise up servants possessed of power that they may prevail over them and requite them with that which shall bring them out of the fire and cause them to enter into the light. There is no way for their guidance nor their deliverance, therefore reach Thy servants with Thy mercy and deliver them from Thy fire through the light of the Sovereign of Thy oneness, for they are creatures of clay unto clay. If Thy mercy reacheth them not, they shall return, and if Thy tenderness encompasseth them not through the removal of this [...].
Therefore hasten, O God, their deliverance through Thy power and might and greatness and sovereignty and dominion, and transform, O God, every fire and appearance through Thy light lest there remain any mention thereof, for this is a night wherein Thy mercy hath been spread throughout all possibilities and Thy bounty hath encompassed all created things. And Thy mercy for these shall not be except that Thou prevail over them and cause them to enter into Thy mercy through servants possessed of might and strength, and overcome them and shelter them in the shade of the tree of Thy oneness through servants possessed of glory and sovereignty, for they think they are in Thy good-pleasure while they are beneath that, and they call upon Thee thinking Thou wilt answer their prayers while they are in remoteness and veils. Therefore gather, O God, the means whereby every fire may be transformed into Thy light and the essence of every negation may be changed into Thy affirmation, for Thou hast said - and Thy word is the truth - "God blotteth out what He willeth and confirmeth what He willeth, and with Him is the Mother of the Book." Yea, my very essence beareth witness that Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest and the Mighty over what Thou desirest. Thy Will prevaileth over all created things and Thy Purpose is manifest above all existing things, and Thy Power is impregnable above all beings and Thy Decree is exalted above all atoms.
Thine ear is exalted above all who dwell in the kingdom of names and attributes, and Thy glory transcendeth all who inhabit the dominions of earth and heaven, and Thy Book is supreme over all that can be mentioned through signs and allusions. Therefore, O my God, in this night, do Thou annihilate every one whom Thou lovest not, or transform his being and make him to be among those whom Thou lovest. And do Thou, O my God, elevate every one whom I love or whom Thou lovest, through Thy power and Thy sovereignty, through Thy dominion and Thy might, through the penetration of Thy knowledge and Thy lordship, and through the potency of Thy power and Thy transcendence. Verily, Thou art the All-Knowing, the Most Powerful, the Omnipotent.
O Lord! Make me and Thy sincere servants as hosts arrayed from Thy most glorious Kingdom and as bands scattered against the parties that oppose the Supreme Concourse, until the ranks of the army of death are scattered and the disheveled forces of life are gathered together, and the power of the rays shining from the realm of light rends asunder the veils of darkness, and the lights of Thy brilliant morn and manifest dawn spread over all regions.
Therefore, O Lord of Hosts, confirm us so that the army of light may achieve victory and the forces of darkness may be defeated.
O Lord! Make me a herald of the Covenant, and a piercing flame against the people of discord, and an arrow penetrating the breast of the hypocrites, and a light shining throughout all regions.
O Lord! Open unto them the gates of blessings, make them expositions of Thy clear signs, raise through them Thy standards, spread through them Thy traces, cause through them Thy lights to shine forth, preserve through them Thy Faith, make them the hosts of Thy mighty fortress and the armies of Thy firm Covenant, exalt their word among all mankind.
Through the hosts of the Supreme Concourse make that faithful company victorious and triumphant, and favor them with abundant grace. Make them verses of unity and banners of glorification, and day by day increase their confirmation.
O my God, my God! Thou seest the offshooots of the Tree of Eternity and the leaves of Thy most exalted Paradise turning toward Thy Most Glorious Beauty, drawn to the Most High Lord, yearning for the vision and meeting, shedding tears and with hearts aflame in Thy love in this first life. Lord! Enable them to attain unto Thee in the next life and to gain Thy good-pleasure in this first life. Make them servants of Thy most exalted Threshold, trustees of Thy most glorious Paradise, guardians of Thy most secure Shelter, and bearers of Thy luminous Tablets.
O God! O God! Verily, I implore Thee with throbbing heart and streaming tears to aid every one who endeavors for the erection of this edifice, in the building of a house, wherein Thy Name is mentioned every morn and eve.
… Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Merciful, the Bountiful!
O Lord! Aid Thou Thy loved ones, and them that aid them.
O my God! Glory be unto Thee! Aid, then, O my God, him who hath loved Thee and hath sought Thy face.
O Lord! Aid me and those with me through Thy sovereignty and might, for verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.
I beseech Thee by Thy most excellent names to assist Thy loved ones with the hosts of power and might.
I beseech Thee by Thy Name which hath conquered all names and encompassed all who are in earth and heaven, to assist Thy loved ones through the wonders of Thy victory.
I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thy Beauty was made manifest, and Thy proof did shine forth, and Thy names did appear, and Thy Dove did warble, and then Thy Most Great Name and Thy Most Ancient Beauty were upraised, to exalt Thy Cause and to aid Thy loved ones, and to bestow upon them from the fruits of the Tree of Thy Oneness and the produce of the holy Tree of Thy Singleness.
We beseech Thee, O God of the world and Goal of the nations, to send down from the heaven of Thy power that which will exalt the station of those among Thy servants who profess Thy unity and those among Thy creatures who hold fast to Thee.
I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty that hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy command that hath subdued all contingent beings, to ordain for the people of T and F that which will draw them nigh unto the pavilion of Thy glory and the canopies of Thy grandeur.
I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy Word and the sun of Thy power to manifest in the world that which will gladden the eyes of Thy loved ones and bring assurance to their hearts in Thy days.
O Lord! Deprive us not of the wonders of Thy grace in Thy days, and distance us not from the shores of nearness through Thy bounty and favors.
O Lord! Send down upon me that which will make me rich through Thy riches, and speaking in Thy praise, and mindful in Thy remembrance. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.
I beseech Thee by this grace which Thou hast ordained for me without any merit on my part, to assist Thy loved ones to arise to that which will cause Thy Cause to be exalted amongst Thy servants.
Then cause to succeed, O my God, him whom We have desired to mention in this Tablet and assist him to aid Thy Cause and exalt Thy Word.
O Lord! Make us helpers of Thy religion, supporters of Thy loved ones, and those who turn away from Thine enemies. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Ruling, the All-Willing.
O my Lord! Aid them in that whereby the standards of Thy guidance and the banners of Thy Cause shall be upraised.
I beseech Thee, O God of all beings and Educator of all created things, to aid Thy loved ones to that which shall cause the standards of Thy triumph and victory to be raised amidst Thy creation.
Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward the heaven of Thy Revelation, speaking forth Thy praise and Thy verses, and acknowledging that which hath shone forth from the horizon of the kingdom of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee to make me confirmed in the assistance of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy Word, in such wise that the standards of Thy Cause may be raised in Thy cities and domains.
Say: O God, O Sovereign of all names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the heaven of Thy Revelation was raised up, and the ocean of Thy Will surged, and the fragrance of Thy Robe was wafted abroad, to assist me to remember Thee and to diffuse Thy Cause, and to draw me near unto Thee at all times through Thy sovereignty and Thy power. Then make me to triumph over Thine enemies and to prevail over the rebellious among Thy creatures.
I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the standards of Thy triumph were raised above the ensigns of Thy dominion, and through which the Sun of Thy Revelation shone forth and the heaven of Thy bounty was upraised and the ocean of Thy generosity surged, to make me one of those who have aided Thy Cause and arose to serve Thee.
Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God, and glory be unto Thee, O my Heart's Desire! Thou seest me turning towards the horizon of Thy Manifestation. I beseech Thee, by the lights of Thy countenance and the mysteries of Thy Book, to aid me to arise for the triumph of Thy Cause.
By Thy might, O God of the world and Goal of the nations, I have desired naught but the exaltation of Thy Word and the manifestation of Thy Cause.
O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which none hath known save Thine own Self, the All-Knowing, to raise up through Thy sovereignty one who will arise to aid Thy Cause, to exalt Thy Word, and to manifest Thy dominion amongst Thy creatures.
I beseech Thee by Thy Name which hath conquered all things and encompassed earth and heaven, to raise up one who will aid Thee amongst Thy creatures and exalt Thy Cause in Thy lands.
I beseech Thee by Thy name, the All-Merciful, through which the breaths of life were wafted over all who are in the heavens and on earth, to raise up from among those possessed of power one who shall arise to aid Thy Cause, exalt Thy Word, and establish Thy laws among Thy servants. Then strengthen through him, O my God, Thy loved ones who have turned unto Thee and sought the sanctuary of Thy presence.
Now in this world of being, the Hand of Divine Power hath firmly laid the foundations of this all-highest Bounty and this wondrous Gift. Gradually whatsoever is latent in the innermost of this Holy Cycle shall appear and be made manifest, for now is but the beginning of its growth and the dayspring of the revelation of its Signs. Ere the close of this Century and of this Age, it shall be made clear and manifest how wondrous was that Springtide and how heavenly was that Gift!
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
This shows that we will ultimately succeed. But could we not through our shortcomings, failures to sacrifice and reluctance to concentrate our efforts in spreading the Cause, retard the realization of that ideal. And what would that mean? It shall mean that we will be held responsible before God, that the race will remain longer in its state of waywardness, that wars would not be soon averted, that human suffering will last longer.
Whatever may befall this infant Faith of God in future decades or in succeeding centuries, whatever the sorrows, dangers and tribulations which the next stage in its world-wide development may engender, from whatever quarter the assaults to be launched by its present or future adversaries may be unleashed against it, however great the reverses and setbacks it may suffer, we, who have been privileged to apprehend, to the degree our finite minds can fathom, the significance of these marvelous phenomena associated with its rise and establishment, can harbor no doubt that what it has already achieved in the first hundred years of its life provides sufficient guarantee that it will continue to forge ahead, capturing loftier heights, tearing down every obstacle, opening up new horizons and winning still mightier victories until its glorious mission, stretching into the dim ranges of time that lie ahead, is totally fulfilled.
For thought and discussion