Influence and centrality of the Word of God

Verily, that Being of the Seven Letters is His servant and His Word. He hath made him the Manifestation of all that is manifest, the concealer of all that is hidden, the proclaimer of His revelations, the indicator of His sovereign unity, and the speaker of His holy and eternal dominion.

Praise be to the all-perceiving, the ever-abiding Lord Who, from a dewdrop out of the ocean of His grace, hath reared the firmament of existence, adorned it with the stars of knowledge, and admitted man into the lofty court of insight and understanding. This dewdrop, which is the Primal Word of God, is at times called the Water of Life, inasmuch as it quickeneth with the waters of knowledge them that have perished in the wilderness of ignorance. Again it is called the Primal Light, a light born of the Sun of divine knowledge, through whose effulgence the first stirrings of existence were made plain and manifest.

I testify, moreover, that with but a movement of Thy Pen Thine injunction "Be Thou" hath been enforced, and God's hidden Secret hath been divulged, and all created things have been called into being, and all the Revelations have been sent down.

This blessed Primal Word hath been called by all names - in one place as the Trumpet, in another as the Bugle, and likewise as the Path, the Balance, and the like. It is the cause of the gathering and resurrection of all things whatsoever that have been created in earth and heaven.

Behold thou in the scroll of this divine creation - thou shalt find it a preserved tablet, an inscribed book, a comprehensive volume, a speaking Gospel, a distinguishing Qur'an, and a clear Bayan - nay rather, the Mother Book from which all pages, psalms and tablets have been spread forth. All beings, contingent things, realities and entities are but letters, words, numbers and signs that speak with most eloquent tongue and most wondrous utterance in praise of their Creator, in describing the attributes of their Originator, in glorifying their Maker and sanctifying their Fashioner.

Even as God originated you through these verses, so will He cause you to return through them and bring about another creation by His command.

… Say: The verses are indeed God's possession wherein all things exist and none can be compared unto them. Thus doth God create what He willeth by His command.

God is far exalted above being known through His creation; rather, creation is known through Him. He is the One through Whom, when the tongue of His eternal sanctity speaketh, He createth through a word whatsoever He willeth of prophet, saint, faithful one, or pure one. For all that hath been created are guides from His presence and ambassadors from His court - all have declared that there is no God but Him and have awaited Him Who would remind you of God's countenance, for ye were not created save to attain His presence.

There is no doubt that these matters have been realized and established through the Word of God, and the Word of God is the overseer of all things. It is the creator of the world and the educator of the world. It is that which summons those who thirst in the valley of separation to the ocean of reunion, and it is that which illumines the darkness of ignorance with the dawn of knowledge.

He hath uttered the Word whereby the heavens of hearts and minds were raised up. Then He spoke another word, whereupon a light shone forth, and when the winds of will caught hold of it, it scattered and formed a dome across the face of heaven, and by each fragment thereof was illumined the heart of every one who turned towards Him and the breast of every one who set his face towards Him.

No sooner were the splendours of that Divine Word revealed than the portals of heaven were unlocked, the Kingdom of Names made manifest, and all was brought to consummation by the appearance of the letter "Ha", which had been connected to the recumbent Alif, itself embellished by the Point from which had sprung the Treasured Name, the Hidden Secret, and the Guarded Symbol--that same Point from which all things have appeared and unto which they have all returned.

This He hath accomplished through the agency of but one Letter of His Word, revealed by His Pen—a Pen moved by His directing Finger—His Finger itself sustained by the power of God’s Truth.

I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy sovereignty that hath transcended the entire creation, and by Thy Word which was hidden in Thy wisdom and whereby Thou didst create Thy heaven and Thy earth, both to enable us to be steadfast in our love for Thee and in our obedience to Thy pleasure, and to fix our gaze upon Thy face, and celebrate Thy glory.

The beauty, perfection, luminosity and spirituality of the world of existence depend upon the Word of God. This is the source of all, the goal of all, the life-giver of all, the illuminator of all, and the educator of all.

This drop, in its first station and primary rank, appeared in the form of a point, and through it He brought forth from the realm of the unseen into the sphere of existence the knowledge of the first and the last. And when its service found acceptance, it became intimate with the letter Ba, and through it was raised aloft the knowledge that there is none other God but Him, and the banner of triumph and victory was unfurled.

Being came into existence through the Word of God, and the Word of God through His manifest Revelation. He is the Perspicuous Book and the Impregnable Stronghold, the Dawning-Place of the Hidden Mystery and the Dayspring of the Treasured Name. Through His mention have the Books of God been adorned, and through His light hath the world been illumined.

O thou servant of God! Unquestionably, through the manifestation of the Infinite Power in this glorious age, wonderful signs will appear in the world and great changes are seen in the present and promised in the future, for the Word of God is like unto the Spirit, and the contingent world like unto the embryo in the womb of the mother. Through the power of the Spirit such various changes and metamorphoses become apparent, transforming them from one form to another.

He is that Word within which books lie concealed and psalms lie hidden. From Him have appeared the hosts of divine commands and prohibitions which are the cause of the order of the world, the comfort and tranquility of nations, and the reason for fellowship, unity, love and affection.

I testify that God's Word is His utterance, and God's utterance is His Command, and all things stand through His Command. Behold then the loftiness of His Word, how it is the cause of the creation of all that hath been and shall be created, and the sustenance of all things.

Indeed if it be His Will He can assuredly bring about the resurrection of all created things through a word from Himself. He is, in truth, over and above all this, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

He is the Omnipotent Who brought forth from a Point the Letter, and from the Letter the Word, and from the Word the books of the world.

All infinite letters branch forth from the Ocean of the Primal Point, and unto it do they return and find their end. And whoso knoweth the Point is enriched above the knowledge of aught else, and in the inmost of the inmost essence, whoso knoweth the Point knoweth that whereof the outer letters are composed and that which brancheth forth from them.

Praise be to the One Who is the Goal of all, Who created the world through His Word and nurtured it through various means.

The tongue, which is the seat of His mention, is His creation, and by the Word of that Sovereign of the unseen and the seen have all things come from utter nothingness into the realm of being.

What then was this Word, which at times was mentioned as a seed, at times as a countenance, and at times as a drop - from which drop emerged an ocean, from which countenance emerged faces, and from which seed emerged a world?

Say: The Word of God can never be confounded with the words of His creatures. It is, in truth, the King of words, even as He is Himself the sovereign Lord of all, and His Cause transcendeth all that was and all that shall be.

Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God - exalted be His glory - is higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or substance. It transcendeth the limitations of known elements and is exalted above all the essential and recognized substances. It became manifest without any syllable or sound and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth all created things. It hath never been withheld from the world of being. It is God's all-pervasive grace, from which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity far removed above all that hath been and shall be.

God hath sent down the Book in truth concerning Him Whom He shall make manifest, that mankind may know that the Word of God hath existed eternally in the Mother Book.

Know thou that the Word of God, blessed and exalted be He, in its primary reality and first station, comprehendeth meanings that most people are veiled from perceiving. We testify that His words are perfect, and in each word of His are concealed meanings that none hath understood save His own Self and those endowed with the knowledge of the Book.

Indeed His utterance is a messenger that beareth the token of His presence. It delivereth you from darkness and guideth your steps unto the effulgent light of His glory.

And through that same revelation - which in one station is referred to as the Word, in another as the Will, in yet another as the Divine Purpose, and the like - the trumpet was sounded, the cry was raised, and those that lay in their graves were stirred.

Say: God hath made all words a throne for His Word, whereupon it was established upon the thrones with a sovereignty mighty over the Cause. Say: The sovereignty of words hath been established upon their seats, and none knoweth this save he who hath turned with pure and illumined vision unto that which hath been sent down from the direction of the Throne.

Say: In the revelation of verses are manifestations for those who walk the paths of certitude. Say: O people of the earth! Compare not the creation of verses to the creation of any thing, nor their manifestation to the manifestation of any thing, if ye but knew. Say: The verses are in themselves the mirror of God, for in them are reflected God's attributes, could ye but perceive it. They are the first creation that told of God in the manifestation of His names and attributes, could ye but understand. By them hath God created what was and what will be, could ye but witness it.

That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven. It is God's supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace.

Nothing is more subtle and exalted, then more magnificent and evident, than the Word. God, exalted be His mention, has placed no intermediary between Himself and His chosen ones except His Word, for the Word is the mirror that reflects its Speaker in all His glory, grandeur, majesty and awe.

O Joseph! The Divine Word among human utterances is even as the sun, manifest and resplendent. Deceive not thyself. Consider the revealed Tablets and reflect upon the manifestations of power and the divine conditions that have encompassed the realm of creation, that thou mayest attain unto the Ancient Ocean and the Most Great Name.

Likewise, in the spiritual realm of intelligence and idealism there must be a center of illumination, and that center is the everlasting, ever-shining Sun, the Word of God. Its lights are the lights of reality which have shone upon humanity, illumining the realm of thought and morals, conferring the bounties of the divine world upon man. … This Sun of Reality, this Center of effulgences, is the Prophet or Manifestation of God.

Rev. Bixby: Was Christ the Word?

A. B: Baha'u'llah has clearly explained and defined the "Word". Christianity, as explained by its followers has taught that Christ is the Word and the Son of God. What is the meaning of this? Baha'u'llah has explained that seers and prophets are as letters incomplete in meaning. He shows that human intellects are imperfect, incomplete, but Christ was the All-Surrounding Word and synonymous with Perfection.

Man is the sum of Creation, and the Perfect Man is the expression of the complete thought of the Creator -- the Word of God.

O Muhammad! The Word of Truth, like the Existence of Truth, is manifest and evident, radiant and apparent and visible. Therefore, deprive not thine ear from hearing it and prevent not thy heart from knowing it.

As it is said in the Gospel of John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." It follows then that the Holy Spirit and the Word are the appearance of God and consist in the divine perfections that shone forth in the reality of Christ. And these perfections were with God, even as the sun which manifests the fullness of its glory in a mirror.

Praised be He Who has favored man with utterance and made him the dayspring of exposition in the contingent world.

For the Word of God is collective wisdom, absolute knowledge and eternal truth.

Consider the statement recorded in the first chapter of the book of John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This statement is brief but replete with the greatest meanings. Its applications are illimitable and beyond the power of books or words to contain and express.

The Tongue of Pre-existence speaks and says: O concourse of the learned ones in the world! Your pens should become still when moves the Most Great Pen as it is between the fingers of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Hold your tongues from that which the Tongue of Grandeur speaks - this behooveth you, if ye be of them that know.

He divided divine Revelation in the Qur'an (as well as in the Bible) 1. into the eternal Word of God (the Logos) and 2. into the temporally revealed Book of God, such as the Muslims (and Christians) possess.

Then he gave a lengthy explanation on the meaning of three kinds of Words, "literal Word", "intellectual Word" and "divine Word" according to the Mohamadan metaphysic and how the "Divine Word" is embodied in the world and for what purpose.

Glory be to God! Such is the power of a single Word - how much greater, then, the power of the Lord of the Word, the Sovereign of the Word, the Revealer of the Word, and the Source of the Word! The majesty of God's Cause hath reached such heights that He hath made a mere stone the point of adoration and the dawning-place of the world's glory, as all have witnessed and continue to witness.

Praise be unto the King of existence Who adorned the world of humanity with the ornament of utterance. The Guide, the Interpreter and the Manifestor, in His primary station, was the utterance of the All-Merciful. With one word from His Kingdom of utterance He created the world and showed the way.

We have manifested the Word in the temple of man, and verily it is this Speaker Who calleth aloud throughout contingent being in the name of the All-Merciful.

By My Holy Essence! I affirm that no paradise is more sublime for these creatures than My Revelation and My verses, while no fire will ever be fiercer for them than being veiled from My exalted Self and disbelieving in My Words.

… The Bayan is, from beginning to end, the repository of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His light.

O My Name! The Daystar of utterance, shining resplendent from the dayspring of divine Revelation, hath so illumined the Scrolls and Tablets that the kingdom of utterance and the exalted dominion of understanding vibrate with joy and ecstasy and shine forth with the splendor of His light, yet the generality of mankind comprehend not.

The beginning and the end pointed to one blessed Word, and it hath appeared and come, and it is the Spirit of the divine Books and Scriptures that hath been and will be forever, and it is the key to the Most Great Treasury of the Lord and the hidden divine mystery that hath ever been concealed behind the pavilion of infallibility.

Through its potency whatsoever is recorded in Thy holy Scriptures and sacred Books hath been made manifest and Thy messengers and Thy chosen ones have raised their Call, so that all men may be infused with the capacity to attain Thy presence, to direct their steps toward the ocean of Thy nearness, to present themselves before the seat of Thy throne and to give ear unto Thy wondrous Voice, calling aloud from the Dayspring of Thine invisible Essence and from the Dawning-Place of Thine exalted Being.

O Amin! The people of the Furqan prided themselves on the authority of the Furqan over the world, and the people of every religion on their Book, and the people of the Bayan on what they possessed. In this Most Great Revelation, like unto torrential rain, from the first day until now, night and day, verses have been revealed and evident proofs have shone forth equivalent to the books of the past and future now existing, and whatsoever shall appear in the future hath already been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen with utmost clarity.

When Christ appeared with those marvelous breaths of the Holy Spirit, the children of Israel said, "We are quite independent of him; we can do without him and follow Moses; we have a book and in it are found the teachings of God; what need, therefore, have we of this man?" Christ said to them, "The book sufficeth you not."

The mosques that were created and exalted by a single Word of God take pride therein, yet deny and turn away from its Creator, Source and Revealer.

The words of all the Messengers of God have been uttered in the Books of the words of Him Who is the Desire of the world. Reflect. Today the Daystar of utterance is shining resplendently above the horizon of the heaven of testimony. It behooveth men to purify their ears from the words of the peoples of the world that they may discover the words of the Divine Messengers which are evident in these words.

Even as every holy Manifestation hath a Book Revealed, His divine reality and luminous essence is the Mother Book of Creation, the Preserved Tablet, the Outstretched Parchment, and the Inscribed Book. Even as the Book of Revelation and Divine Law containeth verses, words and letters, so too doth the essential reality--that is, the Book of Creation--encompass and include verses, words and letters in respect to the Names, Attributes, Deeds, Laws and Effects.

Say: Verily the Word of God speaketh and walketh, were ye of the discerning ones. When it walketh, the breezes of glorification pass over all who are in creation, and the fragrances of the All-Merciful are diffused throughout contingent being.

The Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - hath said that the purpose of all that is in the Bayan is that on that blessed Day the people may attain unto the good-pleasure of the Beloved and be engaged in His remembrance, even as He saith: "The word of good-pleasure from that Dawning-Place of Names is better than all that existeth and is visible."

Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having cast in this Day the radiance of all Thy names upon all created things, O Thou Who art the Lord of glory, majesty, and grandeur; of power, might, and blessings! This is the Day whereon He Who is the Mouthpiece of God, the All-Possessing, the Inaccessible, the Most High, hath called out from the realm of eternity, saying: "The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!"

Consider the abiding proofs: the people of the Torah were withheld from the Truth by the Torah itself; and in like manner the other peoples---each clinging to a book---remained deprived of Him Who revealed it. Behold the servitude of men, their heedlessness and remoteness! This is the Day whereon the Truth hath appeared in His own Person; and, were God to will and ordain, within a few days there would be revealed that which is the equal, in their estimation, of the books afore-mentioned---yet do they remain veiled.

Say: Verily the Book is a heaven which We have adorned with the stars of commandments and prohibitions, as attested by Him Who possesseth the Mother Book.

Ever do the manifestations through which Thy loved ones draw nigh unto Thee change, through the revelation of one Book and the withdrawal of another, save that whereby Thou dost describe Thyself - the exaltation of Thy praise, the transcendence of Thy sanctification, the elevation of Thy oneness, the inaccessibility of Thy glorification, and the independence of Thy grandeur.

The bearers of this light are the Prophets and Messengers who, by the command of the Ancient King, have stepped forth into the arena of manifestation for the salvation of the peoples of the world.

Whoso acknowledgeth it hath acknowledged all the Books of God, the Supreme, the Most High, the Most Great. And whoso denieth it hath denied all the Scriptures and whatsoever hath been revealed from the heaven of divine revelation by One Who is Mighty, Trustworthy.

For compared with all other proofs and tokens, the divinely revealed verses shine as the sun, whilst all others are as stars. To the peoples of the world they are the abiding testimony, the incontrovertible proof, the shining light of the ideal King. Their excellence is unrivaled, their virtue nothing can surpass. They are the treasury of the divine pearls and the depository of the divine mysteries.

Were anyone to ponder in his heart that which hath, in this Revelation, streamed forth from the Pen of Glory, he would be assured that whatever this Wronged One hath affirmed He hath had no intention of establishing any position or distinction for Himself. The purpose hath rather been to attract the souls, through the sublimity of His words, unto the summit of transcendent glory and to endow them with the capacity of perceiving that which will purge and purify the peoples of the world from the strife and dissension which religious differences provoke.

Say: Should all who are on earth gather together to produce the like of a single verse We have revealed unto thee, they would be unable and powerless, even if they were all learned ones.

And as to that which thou hadst written: "In truth, they have appointed their own verses as the standard of their authenticity, and by those same verses have they sought to establish the validity of their claim": this very word, "Didst thou but know", flowed from the Pen in proof of this matter, yet ye have failed to perceive it. For these verses you mention - either you are certain of them or not. If you are not, then all these words you have written were and shall be vain. And if you are certain, then why do you deny and turn away from these revealed verses which descend like abundant rain at every moment? Know with certainty that people of insight and understanding would not allow you to proceed beyond the first word - through that single word they would establish and confirm for you God's proof and His testimony, just as that Tree of Oneness proved His Cause and we came to know it. Now too, in like manner, God's Cause is manifest and God's verses are being revealed, and these servants have attained certitude. These servants were not and shall never be among the deniers. The deniers are those who "believe in part of the Book and reject part of it." Nay, by God, rather they have rejected all the Books, for today if anyone turns away from a single letter of these verses, his rejection of all is established and confirmed. We believe in what was revealed before and what is now revealed, and everything bears witness to this, if you be of those who are certain. Well do you argue and engage in dispute and objection with the Beloved Point, writing that His truth was proven through verses. In your own estimation you look to the revelation, yet are far removed from the Revealer.

And as for what you wrote that "certainly you too cannot deny" - our inmost reality, our essence, our tongue, our heart and our limbs all testify to His verses, if you be of those who understand. I swear by the Sun of the glory of unity that a single letter from the words of that Manifestation of Names and Attributes is more beloved and precious to the Ancient Beauty than all that is in the heavens and earth - how much more so for these servants who are as nothing before a letter from Him and who bow in submission before all that has appeared from that Tree of Truth and Sun of grace and Moon of loving-kindness. The difference between these servants and you is that you verbally profess belief from behind a thousand veils and curtains while turning away from His Self and Essence and Spirit and Being. Would that you were content with mere rejection! Nay, by His All-Merciful Self, rather you spend your nights and days plotting to shed His pure and holy blood, as was clearly shown by the deception you practiced in that land. These servants believe in, acknowledge and confess His verses, His words, His manifestation, His Self and His Spirit in their entirety. Therefore recognize the station of the deniers, and the station of God, the Exalted, the Great, and the station of these poor and lowly ones.

And furthermore concerning what was written, He Himself can distinguish verses from that which is not verses better than others. Indeed, the true distinction must come from Him, and of a certainty such a person would not be a liar nor would he be moved by the promptings of his own desire.

The Bayan is in truth Our conclusive proof for all created things, and all the peoples of the world are powerless before the revelation of its verses. It enshrineth the sum total of all the Scriptures, whether of the past or of the future, even as Thou art the Repository of all Our proofs in this Day.

Another of His signs is the marvel of His discourse, the eloquence of His utterance, the rapidity with which His Writings were revealed, His words of wisdom, His verses, His epistles, His communes, His unfolding of the Qur'an, both the abstruse verses thereof and the clear.

Were the scattered utterances of the Most Merciful, which He spoke while walking or in the presence of some of the loved ones, to be collected, they would equal all the books now existing among the parties on earth, nay exceed them, were they to be just. How much more that which was recorded in His presence!

And verses concerning the innate nature of things, power and might flow forth such that all who dwell on earth from among the ranks of subjects are powerless to produce verses like unto them. What need is there for these proofs, when by the leave of the Remnant of God, I wrote to two learned men in Yazd of the passing of the late Mu'tamid eighty-seven days before it occurred - and God is sufficient witness to this.

Through the grace of God nothing can frustrate My purpose, and I am fully conscious of that which God hath bestowed upon Me as a token of His favor.

My verses I have made a path unto My knowledge, as a bounty on Our part unto all the people of the earth. Since my former Manifestation hath ordained the proof of this most holy, this most sublime and glorious Revelation to be the divine verses, therefore have We sent down verses from the heaven of the Divine Will. This is our abiding testimony unto all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth.

Ere this Dispensation, verses alone had been singled out as a testimony unto all people.

Say: O people! if ye deny this power and this proof, by what word shall your faith in your Lord, the All-Merciful, be established? Nay, by Him through Whom earth and heaven have shone with the light of glory, they shall find no path unto the truth.

Now people demand proof from one who makes a claim. What proof could be greater than that God should cause someone to appear in Persia speaking in the language of the Qur'an, such that if all the peoples of the earth were to gather together, they could not understand a single word of these utterances, let alone produce their like?

From another perspective, this Cause is most mighty, for that which hath been revealed is such as the ears of the world have never heard the like thereof, and that which hath appeared is such as the eyes of the nations have never witnessed anything similar thereunto. Thus in describing the loftiness of station, the exaltation of rank, mention of Divinity and Lordship, hidden mysteries and treasured verses, there hath appeared that which transcendeth the comprehension of the servants, such that from all directions the cry of "we knew not" hath been raised.

The verses possess probative force from all aspects, but every group receives its portion from the divine ocean. Those versed in rhetoric and eloquence become bewildered by the fluency and comprehensiveness of the words and their "accessible impossibility." Those who understand meanings become intoxicated with the cup of its mysteries. Those who grasp reality become enraptured by the universal truths and meanings that flow and course through its essence.

Say: Should all who are in the heavens and on earth and whatsoever lieth between them endeavor to produce the like of this Book, they would never be able, nor would they have the power, even were they the most learned ones on earth. This is God's proof unto all the worlds, this is God's testimony unto all who dwell in the heavens and on earth and whatsoever lieth between them, and then unto all the worlds.

Divine verses are being revealed like torrential rain, to such an extent that it has not been and is not possible to record them, and until now no one has enumerated them. Nevertheless, they have said that He takes two words from the Bayan and two words from the Qur'an, fashions verses from them and sends them abroad. And this statement has come from one who, by God besides Whom there is no God, was not worthy to be mentioned or to speak in the Holy Presence.

This is why, in Holy Scriptures, the counsels of heaven are likened to water, even as the Qur'an saith: 'And pure water send We down from Heaven,' and the Gospel: 'Except a man be baptized of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.' Thus is it clear that the Teachings which come from God are heavenly outpourings of grace; they are rain-showers of divine mercy, and they cleanse the human heart.

Thus warbleth the Bird of Eternity upon the branches of Our divine Lote-Tree. God beareth me witness that through a single melody voiced by it, the concourse on high and the denizens of the cities of names have been enraptured, and beyond them those who circle in adoration around the Throne in the daytime and in the night season have been enravished.

Meditate on this, that thou mayest drink in the waters of everlasting life which flow through the words of the Lord of all mankind, and mayest testify that the one true God hath ever been immeasurably exalted above His creatures.

The Sun of Truth is the Word of God, upon which dependeth the education of those who are endowed with the power of understanding and of utterance. It is the true spirit and the heavenly water, through whose aid and gracious providence all things have been and will be quickened.

Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance to proceed out of Our throne, that the tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may spring forth from the soil of your hearts. Will ye not be thankful?

… Thus have We established for thee, through the waters of Our wisdom and utterance, the foundations of thy belief.

Thou art He the excellence of Whose glory hath exalted them who are the sources of authority and honor, the potency of Whose might hath empowered them who are the fountain-heads of energy and strength, the dominion of Whose will hath elevated the exponents of Thy Cause above all that are in heaven and on earth, and the life-giving effusions of Whose Pen have quickened the souls of the denizens of the kingdom of creation.

O 'Ali-Qabli-Akbar! The Most Great Elixir hath been the Word of Truth, which the Hand of Power hath manifested from the Hidden Mine through the Hidden Name. Nurture it in the retort of the heart with the fire of love, and after its effect appeareth in all the pillars, if but an atom thereof be bestowed upon the people of the world, thou shalt behold all the copper of existence transformed into pure gold.

Heavenly souls must needs quicken, with the breath of the Word of God, the dead bodies with a fresh spirit. Within every word a new spirit is hidden.

The Supreme Elixir is none other than the Word of God, which hath shed divine illumination upon the contingent world and wafted the fragrances of holiness throughout the earth.

By its power and strength it hath conquered the East and the West.

The Word, in its primary essence, is the water of life for the dead of the world and the hand of power for the salvation of nations. Through a single exalted word, it draws man from the darkness of idle fancies to the light of certitude, and from the deep pit to the lofty palace.

Thus doth the Holy Reed intone its melodies, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its song, so that He may infuse life eternal into the mortal frames of men, impart to the temples of dust the essence of the Holy Spirit and the heavenly Light, and draw the transient world, through the potency of a single word, unto the Everlasting Kingdom.

Adam is the cause of man's material life, but the reality of Christ, that is, the Word of God, is the cause of his spiritual life. It is a life-giving spirit, meaning that all the imperfections imposed by the material life of man are, through the instruction and guidance of that Essence of detachment, transmuted into human perfections. Therefore, Christ was a life-giving spirit and the cause of the spiritual life of all mankind.

Say: The verses are like unto water; even as water giveth life to bodies, as ye behold, even so do the verses give life unto spirits, and cause to grow from the soil of divine knowledge trees of exalted glory. Say: At times they appear according to the nature of fire, whereby are set ablaze the hearts of them that have turned towards God, the Mighty, the Beloved. And at times thou findest them according to the nature of water, for by them liveth all that was and all that shall be.

Know thou with clear and manifest certitude that if in this Day but one word be revealed for a soul, that soul hath attained unto all good. The Word of God is better for thee than all that hath been created in earth and heaven.

The Word of God is like unto fire for extinguished souls and like unto water for withered spirits.

The material world is even as a dead and impotent body: its animating spirit is the Word of God and its motivating force the teachings of the Omnipotent One.

Christ healed by the power of his word, because the word of the Messiah was the Holy Spirit purified from all else.

The Call of God when raised, breathed a new life into the body of mankind, and infused a new spirit into the whole creation. It is for this reason that the world hath been moved to its depths, and the hearts and consciences of men been quickened. Erelong the evidences of this regeneration will be revealed, and the fast asleep will be awakened.

In truth, the divine Word is like the vernal breezes of God's tender mercy for all creation - the more it bloweth and passeth by, the sweeter and more excellent it becometh.

The Most Great Spirit, upon whose breathings depends the resurrection of all the dead, has been and ever shall be the Word of God. He is that Spirit through which, from time immemorial and unto eternity, the dead have risen from their graves and turned toward the most exalted horizon.

No disease hath been or is greater than heedlessness, treachery, envy, malice and hate; and no healing remedy hath been or is more potent than the Word of God. … Arise through the power of the Most Great Name, and with utmost joy and delight heal and remove chronic diseases through the Divine Word.

He that partaketh of the waters of My Revelation will taste all the incorruptible delights ordained by God from the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end.

This is that Pen through a mere intimation of whose will the souls of the Concourse on high, and the realities of the denizens of the everlasting realm, and the essences of human hearts and minds, were all fashioned. This is that Pen through but a movement of which the sun of might and grandeur, and the moon of loftiness and sanctity, and the stars of grace and favour, were called into existence.

The greatest philosophers without this Spirit are powerless, their souls lifeless, their hearts dead! Unless the Holy Spirit breathes into their souls, they can do no good work.

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

It is strange that hearing the Word of God from the tongue of one of His servants had such an effect that in an instant he returned from the lowest depths of existence to the horizon of the All-Merciful, while these servants have repeatedly and continuously heard the melodies of the All-Merciful Spirit from the tongue of power and majesty, yet they have not been affected enough to become aware even of the repugnance of their deeds, actions, suspicions and idle fancies.

In this Revelation the attraction of divine verses so inflamed the hearts that they flew on wings of longing to the place of sacrifice and offered up their spirits before the feet of the Luminary of the horizons.

Men of discernment, inebriated with the choice wine of His utterance, have rent the veils asunder through the sovereign might of My Name which pervadeth all mankind.

After this word, the tongue-tied gained speech, the ignorant entered the ocean of knowledge, the poor found their way to the kingdom of wealth, the lowly aspired to the summit of glory, the wayward became illumined by the light of the dawn of guidance.

Whosoever in this day is born of the Word and attaineth unto the new life - he is worthy of this station, and all others are forbidden and deprived.

The word of God is the storehouse of all good, all power, all wisdom. The illiterate fishers and savage Arabs were thereby enabled to solve such problems as were puzzles to eminent sages all through the ages. It awakens within us that brilliant intuition which makes us independent of all tuition and endows us with an all-embracing power of spiritual understanding.

… When man is associated with that transcendent power emanating from the word of God, the tree of his existence becomes so well rooted in the soil of assurance that it laughs at the violent hurricanes of scepticism which attempt its eradication.

Every single letter proceeding from Our mouth is endowed with such regenerative power as to enable it to bring into existence a new creation -- a creation the magnitude of which is inscrutable to all save God. He verily hath knowledge of all things.

At that time, Peter the Apostle, Paul the Apostle, and several other apostles who were outwardly silk-weavers, fishermen and craftsmen, arose to exalt the Word of God. These souls shed such radiance upon the horizons that its world-embracing rays encompassed earth and heaven, and its all-surrounding ocean continues to surge against the shores of the world.

Moreover, these divine teachings are accompanied by a mysterious power and unmistakable confirmation, one after another - this power and confirmation being specific to the Religion of God and the Word of God. It transforms hearts, causes the improvement of the character of all, and brings about unity among peoples and parties of every land and region.

For such is the power of the Word of God that by a single effect it can make a weak gnat into a soaring eagle of might, and transform a deprived fly into a falcon of the heaven of oneness.

The Prince of Martyrs uttered one "I thirst" and how many thirsty ones were satisfied. Why? Because this was in the Cause of God - this one "I thirst" what an effect it had in the world.

That which transforms this power is greater than any elixir. This station and this power are specially reserved for the Word of God. It is the essence that transforms fear into assurance, weakness into strength, and abasement into glory.

Although outwardly the people appear so lifeless that there seemeth no likelihood of their being adorned with the ornament of life, yet the utterances of the sincere ones, the sanctified ones, and them that are nigh unto God never fail to produce their effect, and soon shall the lights of the Word encompass the world.

Time and again have We stated that the Shepherd of sheep became the Guide of nations, and the Fisher of fish was endowed with divine wisdom.

O friend of mine! The Word of God is the king of words and its pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath ever dominated and will continue to dominate the realm of being. The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked.

Dust-made Adam was raised up, through the Word of God, to the heavenly throne, and a mere fisherman was made the repository of Divine wisdom, and Abu-Dhar, the shepherd, became a prince of the nations!

The whole world hath been set ablaze by the Word of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, a Word softer than the morning breeze. It hath been manifested in the form of the human temple, and through it God hath quickened the souls of the sincere among His servants. In its inner essence, this Word is the living water by which God hath purified the hearts of such as have turned unto Him and forgotten every other mention, and through which He draweth them nigh unto the seat of His mighty Name.

Say: O people! The Lamp of God is burning; take heed, lest the fierce winds of your disobedience extinguish its light.

This motion hath been generated by the potent energies which the words of the almighty have released throughout the entire creation.

Most have heard and some have witnessed that which came to pass upon the Point and the company of the Prophets and Messengers. It hath been the cause of the exaltation of God's Word, the promotion of His Cause and its diffusion. Every person of insight beareth witness that the loss hath been with the oppressors, and the profit with those holy and pure souls.

Do not consider the outward appearance, for one day while engaged in recording the verses being revealed in the presence of His Glory, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: "O servant in attendance! Even while the door is closed, the divine verses nevertheless encompass and pervade the world with their fragrance, for the Word has been and remains penetrating. The winds are most penetrating and permeate the veins of the earth, adorning all things according to their needs with the ornament of colors by His firm command.

O thou who art inebriated by the heavenly cup! In the wilderness of Sinai in the Holy Land, in the hallowed precincts of the vale of Towa, upon the Mystic Mount from which the Light shone upon Moses, the Divine Lote-Tree was raised high, the Burning Bush was unveiled, and the Voice of the one true God was lifted up, raising a tumult in every land and resounding throughout the East and the West. Upon hearing this soul-stirring Voice, every attentive ear responded, "Here am I!" and cried out, from its inmost self, saying, "O our Lord! We have indeed heeded the Voice of Him that called us to the Faith of God---'Believe ye in your Lord’---and we have believed." And every soul that was the embodiment of the verse "They are deaf, they are dumb, they are blind and shall return no more" responded, "Lo! This is naught but tales of the Ancients."

Gracious God! Those who claimed to have heard the Voice of God calling from every least bush, rock, and clod of earth---even every blade of grass in the wilderness---rejected that Voice when its most wondrous accents rose from the Tree of Man with utmost eloquence and grace. This is a cause of astonishment, a source of pity. Thus shall the light of "He guideth whomsoever He pleaseth" be kindled and shine forth in the lamp of "He singleth out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth." This, verily, is the truth.

Aid Thou Thy servant, O my Lord, who hath sought the light of Thy oneness from the Lamp of Thy guidance and hearkened to Thy most sweet Voice which hath been raised from Thy most glorious Kingdom. Assist him by the power of Thy triumphant might, and enlighten his heart by Thy Most Great Sign. Gladden his bosom through the sublime outpourings of Thy grace from Thine exalted Kingdom. Thou art, in truth, the Lord of this world and of the next.

Say: We have kindled in the contingent world the fire of utterance, and it is not of those elements which existed among you and which ye have known aforetime. It is an element that cannot be mentioned by any mention, nor indicated by any indication, nor described by any description. From it have appeared all elements, after its sanctification from them.

The opposition of the clergy can hardly amount to the resistance of a frail mosquito, while the potency of the Word of God is as a tempestuous wind; wherefore dost thou grieve?

Thus now it behoveth the people of the East to cling unto a compelling, heavenly power and a radiant, celestial might, that thereby they may resist every dense and massed army which shall swoop from West to East, nay more, that they may storm those fortified citadels equipped with the most destructive engines, fashioned from infernal elements. Their sword must be the Word of God, their weapon peace, their hosts the knowledge of God, their captain the fear of God, their support the Concourse on high, their helper the Lord of the exalted heavens, their provision trust in God, and their strength a continual outpouring of confirmations from the Almighty, the Most Powerful.

We have encompassed the world through Our Most Exalted Word. God shall, through it, soon conquer the hearts of all who dwell on earth. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Through the word of acceptance, an earthen House became the Point of Adoration for the world and a black stone became the object of devotion for all peoples. His power hath at all times manifested that which is the greatest cause for assurance and faith.

Verily the word of God is like a flame and wherever it is uttered it will ignite a fire causing the veils to be burnt away from the eyes of those who slumber and are weak. Verily the truth has come and falsehood has vanished away for falsehood is a vanishing thing.

Rather, world conquest and the subjugation of countries is through the divine Word, which bestows eternal life and delivers souls from everlasting death.

Consider that the soul-imparting melody of His Holiness Christ - may my life be a sacrifice to Him - became effective and world-conquering after three hundred years, but in a short space of time the Melody of the Kingdom of Abha stirred into cheerfulness the East and the West!

We have uttered a Word and suspended it in the air - it verily attracteth the essences of all created things while casting aside their accidents. It is the magnet of divine attraction, remembered before the Throne. Through it God separateth light from darkness, the fortunate from the wretched, the rejector from the acceptor. Thus doth He what He willeth by His command, and He is indeed wise over all things.

God willing, the penetrating power of the Word will become manifest in the world. The helper of the Truth hath ever been the Word of Truth and the utterances of detached souls who summon mankind unto the Truth.

Victory hath been confined to utterance in this Revelation wherein the All-Merciful hath manifested Himself to all who are in the worlds.

The Lord Moses with but one staff struck down the swords of the world, and the Ancient King with but one Pen hath vanquished the imaginings and idle fancies of the peoples.

Consider how many souls arose after Christ to extinguish the divine lamp, and even the Roman Emperor, who was the greatest philosopher, arose with utmost might to oppose and wrote a book in refutation of Christ, publishing it throughout his realm and causing some to turn away from Christ. Yet ultimately the power of the Word of God prevailed over the Roman Empire and the light of the divine Covenant dispelled the darkness of doubts cast by those philosophers and kings.

[He then gave an account of the appearance of the Manifestations of God. 'Outwardly', He said, the holy Manifestations of God were completely humiliated and despised. They were mocked by all. But in a short space of time the penetrative influence of their words filled the hearts and the sun of their greatness and majesty illumined the world.]

No might or power hath equaled or will equal the penetrating influence and potency of the divine Word. By the sword of utterance must the cities of hearts be conquered.

O Sword of God! The law of the sword hath been abolished and the law of the Utterance hath been revealed. Verily it is sharper than the sword. To this beareth witness the tongue of My grandeur in this exalted station.

The only means of defense that a lamb possesses are his horns. Now the means that the Lamb of God defended himself with were his horns - in other words, his utterances, his teachings. From the spiritual standpoint he 'saved' the world with his horn - his Teachings.

In the Word are concealed both the ocean of mercy and the preordained sword. These mysteries are witnessed in the divine verses. Blessed are they who possess true vision! One word gives life while another takes it away. … Though no fire is visible in the Word, yet it ignites; though no water is present, yet it quickens and bestows life.

When the Desired One of all worlds first arrived in the City of Peace, mention of no one was heard, as the might of oppression had left none remaining. Then one day, by God's irresistible command, the trumpet blast was sounded. He said: "O servant, this is the meaning of the blessed verse which states 'And the trumpet shall be blown a second time.'"

Despite the tribulations that have descended and the afflictions that have befallen Us, the Pen has not ceased.

For the protection and preservation of God's servants, this Wronged One, with no helper or assistant save a single pen, aided both government and people, and through loving counsels and wise admonitions removed killing and plunder from their midst.

By one word the world is agitated, and by another word it is calmed and assured. By one deed it is set ablaze, and by another deed it findeth peace and tranquility. Thus hath the Supreme Pen recorded in the sacred scriptures and tablets that spiritual virtues, praiseworthy deeds, and goodly words are among the mighty hosts of God.

Today, nothing save the universal power of the Word of God, which encompasseth the realities of all things, can gather the minds, thoughts, hearts, and souls of the human world beneath the shade of one Tree. It is the penetrating force in all things; it is the mover of souls; it is the regulator and bond in the world of humanity.

And this is clear: a power above and beyond the powers of nature must needs be brought to bear, to change this black darkness into light, and these hatreds and resentments, grudges and spites, these endless wrangles and wars, into fellowship and love amongst all the peoples of the earth. This power is none other than the breathings of the Holy Spirit and the mighty inflow of the Word of God.

A hundred thousand praises and thanksgivings be unto the Desire of all the worlds, for that He causeth His friends to rejoice through the fragrance of one another's love, and transmuteth sorrow and care into joy and gladness. One word, if it proceed from a heart pure and stainless, traineth the world of humanity and draweth it unto the Shore of the Friend. Unto Him be praise and gratitude in all conditions.

This harmony is not effected but through the influence of the Word of God and is circulated and spread in all directions among the believers of God, who are firm in the Covenant.

How many are the words that cause the exaltation, ascension and enkindling of the people, and how many cause coldness and apathy.

I do not present myself at such political conferences, for the establishment of peace is unachievable save through the power of the Word of God. When a conference is convened, representative of all nations and working under the influence of the Word of God, then universal peace will be established but otherwise it is impossible.

But the Power of the word of GOD overcomes all, for the Word of GOD is the Spirit for the body of the universe. This divine Power will exert such an influence that different nations, sects, peoples, and religions will collect under the shade of the Tent of Oneness.

O ye discerning ones! Verily, the words which have descended from the heaven of the Will of God are the source of unity and harmony for the world. Close your eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness.

Observe what influence and penetration the divine Word possesseth. The people of America considered all the people of Asia as ignorant rabble and paid them no attention whatsoever, rather they depicted them as savage nations like the tribes of Asia. Now behold how the penetration of the divine Word hath transformed such souls, making them so humble and submissive that they worship the Great Luminary and regard Iran as the sacred home of the Sun of Truth.

One of the most severe of the world's diseases is that of contention and strife, the fire of which is burning among all nations and cannot be removed except through the Word of God.

Consider the influence of the Word of God that although men of totally different temperament, religion, culture and ideas live in the Pilgrims Home never do we hear even a faint whisper of ill-feeling against each other.

This happened solely through the power of the Word of God, for otherwise in America people would not even allow a black person into their gatherings and homes, let alone establish close relationships.

And praise be to God Who hath uttered a Word whereby the world was attracted and the peoples were gathered together, and through another Word the names were separated and the greatest differentiation appeared among men.

The unity of any community, whether Buddhists, Christians or Jews, cannot establish such a kingdom. The power of the Word of God is needed to lay the foundation of human unity in the world of possibility and to promote the universal brotherhood of man in the world of existence.

O thou seeker after truth!

There are a great many communities in the world, and each has its own animating principle. These principles are finite and limited, but the Word of God comprehendeth all true principles, and deriveth moreover its enforcing power from the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Hence It encompasseth and overshadoweth each and all.

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

A.B. "Universal Peace cannot be established with the power of thought. One cannot make people love each other by the power of thought. Neither through scientific attainment or political sagacity can this aim be obtained. This can only be accomplished through the power of the Divine Spirit.

Therefore, the power of the WORD of GOD causes collection as well as separation. Although it separates the father from the mother and the brother from sister, yet it creates a thousand brothers and sisters for those in the east and the west who are in the utmost of truthfulness and sincerity; as if they hold the station of one being, the waves of one ocean, the rays of one sun, the flowers of one garden, the trees and the birds of one orchard and the candles of one assembly.

If two brothers befriend each other or those of relative of Him yield love to each other or if the inhabitant of a city consult kindly together or if the citizens of a country should have friendly intercourse with each other indeed if members of the same race should be friendly it would not be an object of astonishment for that is a collective Cause for this is instinct. It is either racial, patriotic or linguistic.

But the remarkable thing to wonder at is namely--that in a gathering like this where the friendship or love which binds people together is not racial, patriotic, family, commercial trade interests or political or egotistic nor any of the interests binding people together but a meeting of people wholly due to Divine Influence severed absolutely from the before mentioned influences.

Therefore, all these before mentioned bonds of love are subjected to cessation and a day may come when that love will cease to exist, will vanish, but our love is indissolvable, is eternal, is everlasting for the bonds which have bound this love are absolutely contingent upon the love of God and the Bounty of the Word of God is eternal. If the forces of all the world contend they could not find the least access or entrance into this bond of love.

And now my purpose is to send you in this wise, supported by this bond to America for the greatest power in the realm of existence is the Word God and no power can withstand it.

Wars will succeed; peace measures and pacific documents will remain dead letters unless the Word of God and His Supreme Power comes to exercise its influence. Not until this is attained may lasting peace be realised.

Every water has its effect and every one of His commands has its influence, and nothing has flowed from the Supreme Pen except that which is the cause of order, progress, rest and tranquility for His servants.

Yet the radiance of the visible sun is perceived by the outward eye, whereas the radiance of the Sun of the Word is perceived by the inward eye. By Him in Whose hand is my soul: should, for one moment, the inner aid and power of the Word of God be cut off from the world and its people, all would become nonexistent and be brought to naught. And if any soul look with the eye of God, he shall behold its light and splendour in all things; and likewise, if he turn, with a pure ear by God's leave, he shall hearken, at every hour, unto the primal divine Call.

… Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, his God. … We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished.

Thus doth the Nightingale utter His call unto you from this prison. He hath but to deliver this clear message. Whosoever desireth, let him turn aside from this counsel and whosoever desireth let him choose the path to his Lord.

The mercy of God is like unto the verses that are sent down from one same heaven: The true believers quaff therefrom the wine of everlasting life, while the ungodly drink a scalding draught. And whensoever the verses of God are rehearsed unto them, the fire of hatred is kindled in their breasts.

When the Word of God is revealed unto all created things whoso then giveth ear and heedeth the Call is, indeed, reckoned among the most distinguished souls, though he be a carrier of ashes.

The Word itself beareth testimony to the loftiness and transcendence of Truth, but it increaseth not the wrongdoers save in loss.

Will ye be content with that which is like the vapor in a plain, and be willing to forgo the Ocean Whose waters refresh, by virtue of the Will of God, the souls of men? Woe unto you, for having repaid the bounty of God with so vain and contemptible a thing!

The penetrating power of the Divine Word has been and ever shall be beyond reckoning. This influence emanates from its sincerity.

Thus until man enters beneath the shadow of divine education and becomes enkindled by the fire of God's Word, the lights of divine unity will not shine forth in the lamp of the heart.

Say: There is no place of refuge for you, no asylum to which ye can flee, no one to defend or to protect you in this Day from the fury of the wrath of God and from His vehement power, unless and until ye seek the shadow of His Revelation. This, indeed, is His Revelation which hath been manifested unto you in the person of this Youth.

Soar then upon the wings of true knowledge to the supreme Habitation, that thou mayest hear the melodies of God from the Divine Lote-Tree. Shouldst thou soar once more, thou wilt again hear that which the people of understanding have not heard. And shouldst thou find within thyself the power and the capacity, soar thou yet again, that thou mayest behold the revelations of thy Lord, and witness, shining upon thee, the splendours of the Countenance of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted.

He who is not attracted by the Word of God cannot truly be said to exist. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Through it hath God raised up whom He willeth and distinguished between the ungodly and the believers. It is a fire unto them that have waxed proud, and a light unto them that have turned towards the Dayspring of Revelation.

The river of names hath deprived people of the ocean of inner meanings. At times the word 'successor' became a veil, at other times the word 'mirror', and yet at other times words such as 'chief', 'noble', 'learned' and the like. Although through the power of the Supreme Pen some veils were rent asunder, others remain, for people are heedless and veiled.

Today, because of the lack of capacity of the people of the world, the station of the Word of God is concealed. I swear by the waves of the ocean of God's utterance, O My handmaiden, that a single word thereof excelleth whatsoever is now evident in the world of being.

The purpose of this Call is to make ready the ears of the people of the realm of possibilities to hearken unto the Most Exalted Word, which none hath comprehended save God, the Lord of all beings, and the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below.

The dawn is the same, the rising of the Sun is the same, and the Source of all splendour is the same. Yet its effect is of two kinds: "And we send down of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to the faithful: But it shall only add to the ruin of the wicked."[Q17:82] The glory of God rest upon thee.

All the inhabitants of earth are recipients of the bounty of the one phenomenal sun, and none are preferred above others; so, likewise, all receive the heavenly bestowals of the Word of God; none are specialized as favorites; all are under its protection and universal effulgence.

So it is with my words. Some fall on hearts that have no capacity; they do not take effect at all. Those people do not understand. Others hear and seem to understand, but they forget my words and do not live in accordance with them. But others have great capacity; they hear my words; they understand; they live accordingly.

"As Christ said, the Word is like seed. Some seed falls upon barren ground and withers; some upon stony ground. This springs up, but as the soil is not deep, it too soon dies. Some upon ground full of weeds which choke it. These weeds are like the ideas that fill the minds of some men. They hear the Word, but their own ideas choke it. But some seed falls upon good ground and brings forth a hundred-fold. I hope that the seed of My word will bring forth a hundred-fold in you.

These verses, clear and conclusive, are a token of the mercy of thy Lord and a source of guidance for all mankind. They are a light unto those who believe in them and a fire of afflictive torment for those who turn away and reject them.

For souls who are deprived of this station, the sending down of heavenly food has been and will be divine wrath.

The penetrating influence of the Word hath ever been and will continue to be dependent upon the sanctification of the heart.

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

We reveal not a verse but We breathe into it the spirit of life for the God-fearing and the spirit of death for the dead -- they who read God's Book aforetime yet now remain veiled from Our verses. All that thou hast seen in Our traditions thou shalt behold with thine own eyes on the Day of Resurrection, for the likeness of the breathing is as all that ye discuss.

… By the life of Him Whom We shall make manifest! If anyone possesses the love of God, when he heareth the verses of God, his spirit will be separated from his own self, unless God sustaineth him.

Can the Tablet contain the mysteries of thy Lord? Can the Pen flow with what He hath willed? Nay, by His very Self, the True One! Rather only with what the people are capable of bearing.

Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power. To this beareth witness that which the Pen of Revelation hath revealed. Meditate upon this, O men of insight!

… Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths.

Some divine words can be interpreted, that is, interpretations that do not cause doubts and delusions and do not deprive one of the divine purpose. Reflect on what the All-Merciful has revealed in the Qur'an, His exalted Word: "And whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good."

Furthermore, entrust not the reins of insight wholly to others, and be not content with the mere outward meaning of certain expressions and allusions. For all these outer words, sacred allusions and glorious references undergo change in every dispensation. From this very change and transformation and renewal it becometh evident that beyond every utterance there lieth concealed in divine knowledge that which transcendeth all wisdom, treasured in the divine repository of wisdom.

For centuries have all recited this verse, yet it is as though it had never been read, that the truth of "None shall touch it save the purified ones" might be established and proven. Had this verse been truly pondered and reflected upon, such dissension and oppression would never have befallen the Daysprings of Oneness and the Manifestations of Holiness.

This is that Word wherein all sciences and arts are concealed. This is the key to the city of steadfastness and the path of the community. This is that which breaks the might of idols and vain imaginings. Whosoever attains unto it has attained unto all that is befitting this day.

Question: What is meant by the Apostlesi speaking in tongues?

Answer: The meaning is that the Apostles taught in a spiritual tongue, a tongue that embraces all tongues. For the Word of the Kingdom comprises spiritual meanings and divine mysteries, and whoso attains to this Word will find the realities and mysteries of creation to be clear and evident. The divine inner meanings are the all-encompassing reality of all tongues.

The true intention must be observed, for like the flow of spirit through veins and arteries, it flows and courses through the words.

This Wine is, in one sense, the Word of God that lay hidden in the treasury of everlasting knowledge and was sealed with the seal of protection, and in another sense it is the recognition of the Dayspring of Names--a recognition that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen, not one born of vain imaginings.

Say: Beware lest ye interpret God's words according to your desires. Ask, that He may explain to you what He intended. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

For this wine diverse interpretations have been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book: in one place it is interpreted as the Most Great Word, in another as the Most Great Steadfastness, and likewise as the Most Exalted Pen, and as He Who speaketh between earth and heaven, and likewise as that which floweth and streameth forth from the Pen of the Lord of antiquity.

That is, the words and letters are similar to a mirror, and the Sun of Truth and the Rays of Significances have become manifest and shone forth in these mirrors of words and letters.

Abdu'l-Baha replied: -- "Divine things are too deep to be expressed by common words. The heavenly teachings are expressed in parable in order to be understood and preserved for ages to come. When the spiritually minded dive deeply into the ocean of their meaning they bring to the surface the pearls of their inner significance.

When it is said to them "By what proof did ye believe in the Bayan?" they say "Because we found from it the fragrance of the All-Merciful." Say: Why then did ye turn away from Him by Whose single word was suspended all that was revealed in the Bayan? They are like those who grasp the letters but cast away the meanings. Verily they are in darkness.

Yet within speech lies concealed the treasury of silence, and within silence is stored the ocean of utterance.

In each of its letters an ocean of meanings lies concealed. Blessed is he who hath attained and drunk therefrom, and woe unto the heedless!

...the Gulf that hath branched out of this Ocean that hath encompassed all created things

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling, whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men. It is incumbent upon you to foster its growth through the living waters of wisdom, of sanctified and holy words, so that its root may become firmly fixed and its branches may spread out as high as the heavens and beyond.

O Ahmad! Thou hast attained unto the divine verses; strive that thou mayest attain unto such deeds whose fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. The treasures of the world cannot compare with the Word of God. Know thou the value of the Word of God and hold fast unto it.

Ye should strive, God willing, to collect to the extent possible the Arabic and Persian utterances that have been revealed in this Divine Manifestation from the Dawning-Place of Divine verses, and observe them. By My life! From each word will be opened unto thy heart a door of knowledge and wisdom.

Read Our verses every day among the people without the slightest fear, for God's Cause is truth, regardless of what people may say.

Today, whoever opens their tongue in teaching will be confirmed by the breaths of the Holy Spirit with eloquent and persuasive utterance, and will be granted from the center of celestial sovereignty a royal decree of success in both worlds.

O Son of My Name! With complete detachment take hold of the keys to hearts and minds - these are the Words of God, exalted be His glory. Every door hath been and shall be opened thereby, and every city hath been and shall be conquered thereby.

O leaf attracted to the Abha Kingdom!

The Sunday school for the children in which the Tablets and Teachings of Baha'u'llah are read, and the Word of God is recited for the children is indeed a blessed thing. Thou must certainly continue this organized activity without cessation, and attach importance to it, so that day by day it may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

Everyone must have the utmost regard for the dignity of the Word of God and for the exaltation of His Cause. Were a person to offer all the treasures of the earth at the cost of debasing the honour of the Cause of God, were it even less than a grain of mustard, such an offering would not be permissible.

When I read the letters, they produced the utmost heartfelt emotions, and from viewing the photographs, spiritual joy and delight occurred.

Say: If ye turn not your eyes toward the words of God, God will soon raise up a people who will look upon them with Mine eyes, who will read My verses and weep for what hath befallen My Beauty, the Stranger, the Imprisoned, the Distressed. We have worlds beyond worlds, creation beyond creation, remembrance beyond remembrance, command beyond command, books beyond books, and sanctified, self-subsisting pages. We nurture every world by Our command and favor, for I am the Powerful over what I will, the Mighty, the Beloved.

He saith: If thou recite one verse of His verses it would be more glorious in the sight of God than if thou should record all the Bayan, for on that day that one verse will save thee while all the Bayan will not.

Had the loved ones until now acted according to what streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen, assuredly most of the servants would now be turning toward the Lord of creation.

Read ye the verses of God with natural melodies. By My life, they will attract you to a glorious station.

Verily the greatest and most exalted of all deeds is to teach His Cause - thus hath it been revealed in this wondrous Revelation. And whoso quickeneth a soul with the spirit of faith, it is as though he hath quickened all mankind.

Say: That which hath been revealed in the Book - verily it is your sustainer, your educator, your teacher, your protector, your helper, your source of glory, and your guide, were ye of those who understand. Nothing can profit you except by His leave.

You must needs be enkindled with the fire of the Divine Word in such wise that its warmth may influence the hearts of men.

Teaching in that region is like when a skilled farmer sows pure seed in pure soil. Surely the clouds of the Most Glorious Kingdom will rain down, the heat of the Sun of Reality will cause growth, the breeze of grace will nurture, and magnificent results will be achieved.

As to his question about the permissibility of promulgating the divine teachings without relating them to the Most Great Name, you should answer: "This blessed Name hath an effect on the reality of things. If these teachings are spread without identifying them with this holy Name, they will fail to exert an abiding influence in the world. The teachings are like the body, and this holy Name is like the spirit. It imparteth life to the body. It causeth the people of the world to be aroused from their slumber."

Undoubtedly you must be firm in holding it, and on the day of meeting raise such song and melody in the glorification and praise of Bahá’u’lláh that you may cause a tumult in that city—so that everyone may hear the call of God and obtain a new spirit through the soul-refreshing breeze wafted from the rose-garden of the Covenant.

The first word is the recognition of God, the Lord of all worlds, and the second is steadfastness in His Cause. Thus hath it been sent down from the Pen of Revelation, when He Who conversed on Sinai was seated upon the throne of Manifestation, speaking that which enraptured the hearts of the sincere ones.

The triumph of the Cause cometh through the hosts of goodly deeds and character, and through the fear of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Say: The mighty one is he who hath taken hold of the Book, and the learned one is he who hath recognized and turned toward the Ancient of Days.

Every word that is uttered for God's sake is like unto a tree - its leaves and fruits will assuredly appear in the world. This is the truth in which there is no doubt.

Whosoever in this Day performeth a service to God's Cause shall endure through the endurance of God's Word.

The essential thing is the Word of God - keep your attention on that. If that is ascending, then all trials, tribulations and hardships are like sweet water. Pay no attention whatsoever to anything else, not even to the survival of this servant. All must focus on the primary purpose, which is the exaltation of the Word of God.

Every law requires an executive force - until an executive force is achieved, any teaching remains merely thoughts, and thoughts are like ocean waves that come and go without permanence or foundation. Baha'u'llah established these teachings like an engraving on stone, firm and steadfast in hearts.

When we look upon the contingent world, we find an unfurled scroll, and on that Preserved Tablet we see verses, words and letters inscribed. Every goodly word is like a tree whose roots are firm and whose branches reach to heaven, yielding its fruit in every season. And every evil word is like an evil tree, uprooted from the earth with no stability.

Nay, ye must observe the Word of God. If the Word of God is in the ascendant, be ye happy, joyous and thankful, even if Abdul-Baha be under a sword or beneath fetters and chains; for importance is in the holy temple of the Cause of God, and not in the physical mould of Abdul-Baha.

By the Sun of Truth! The oceans of knowledge and understanding lie concealed in this most exalted Word. Glory be to God! While words may be effaced by water in their outward form, yet the Word of God containeth oceans of meaning that neither effacement can seize upon nor change can affect.

The world will change but this will not change. Every life is followed by death and every glory by abasement, but the glory of the Divine Word hath been and will continue to be eternal, its perpetuity sanctified from extinction and its rising sanctified from setting. No word that hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen can be erased, nor can centuries and ages alter it.

The Divine Tablet has been and will ever be a helper and supporter in all conditions - that is, in life and death, in presence and absence. For the living it is the Water of Life, and for the dead it is eternal and abiding remembrance.

The world and whatsoever is therein hath come from nothingness and will return unto nothingness, but that which endureth and lasteth forever hath been and will ever be the Word of God.

Know ye with clear certainty that whatsoever hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen shall appear word for word.

By Thy name that excelleth all other names! If Thy overruling and all-compelling behest should ever reach me, it would empower me to revive the souls of all men, through Thy most exalted Word, which I have heard uttered by Thy Tongue of power in Thy Kingdom of glory.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy most sweet Voice and by Thy most exalted Word, to draw me ever nearer to the threshold of Thy door, and to suffer me not to be far removed from the shadow of Thy mercy and the canopy of Thy bounty.

… I beseech Thee, O my God, by the splendor of Thy luminous brow and the brightness of the light of Thy countenance, which shineth from the all-highest horizon, to attract me by the fragrance of Thy raiment, and make me drink of the choice wine of Thine utterance.

O God, my God! I beg of Thee by the ocean of Thy healing, and by the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy grace, and by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue Thy servants, and by the pervasive power of Thy most exalted Word and the potency of Thy most august Pen, and by Thy mercy that hath preceded the creation of all who are in heaven and on earth, to purge me with the waters of Thy bounty from every affliction and disorder, and from all weakness and feebleness.

Assemble them, O my Lord, on the shores of this Ocean, every drop of which proclaimeth Thee to be God, besides Whom there is none other God, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the name of Him round Whom circleth in adoration the kingdom of Thy names, that Thou wilt graciously assist them that are dear to Thee to glorify Thy word among Thy servants, and to shed abroad Thy praise amidst Thy creatures, so that the ecstasies of Thy revelation may fill the souls of all the dwellers of Thine earth.

I implore Thee, by this very word that hath shone forth above the horizon of Thy will, to enable me to drink deep of the living waters through which Thou hast vivified the hearts of Thy chosen ones and quickened the souls of them that love Thee, that I may, at all times and under all conditions, turn my face wholly towards Thee.

O ye in mortal graves! The peace of God, He Who is the Lord of Revelation and the Speaker on Sinai, rest upon you.

Day and night He sendeth down the signs of Thine omnipotent power and revealeth the clear tokens of Thy majesty, so that the souls of Thy creatures may be drawn towards Thee, that they may forsake themselves and turn unto Thee, and may flee from their misery and seek the tabernacle of Thy riches, and may haste away from their wretchedness into the court of Thy majesty and glory.

Unseal the lips of Thy will, O my Lord, and let a word proceed therefrom that shall subject unto itself the world and all that is therein.

I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Great Name, to enrapture the nations through the potency of the Word which Thou didst ordain to be the king of all words, the Word whereby the goodly pearls of Thy hidden wisdom were uncovered, and the gem-like mysteries which were wrapped up within Thee were unraveled.

Through the breaths of Thine utterance the heaven of understanding hath been adorned, and by the effusions of Thy pen every moldering bone hath been quickened.

Thou hast inspired the Pen with the mysteries of Thine eternity, and bidden it teach man that which he knoweth not, and caused him to partake of the living waters of truth from the cup of Thy Revelation and Thine inspiration.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who hast, through the movement of Thy most august pen, subdued the concourse of Thy creation, and manifested the pearls of the ocean of Thy wisdom through the words which Thy tongue hath spoken before all who are in heaven and on earth.

Thou didst come, O my God, in the clouds of Thy spirit and Thine utterance, and lo, the entire creation shook and trembled, and the limbs of them who repudiated Thy testimonies were made to quiver, O Thou in Whose grasp is the lordship of all things!

Purge out thoroughly their ears, O my Lord, that they may hearken unto the sweet melodies that have ascended from the right hand of the throne of Thy glory. I swear by Thy might! Were any one to attune his ears to their harmony he would soar up to the kingdom of Thy revelation, wherein every created thing proclaimeth that Thou art God, and that there is none other God save Thee, the Omnipotent, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

I testify that if Thy servants were to turn towards Thee with the eyes Thou didst create in them and with the ears wherewith Thou didst endow them, they would all be carried away by a single word sent down from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty. That word alone would suffice to brighten their faces, and to assure their hearts, and to cause their souls to soar up to the atmosphere of Thy great glory, and to ascend into the heaven of Thy sovereignty.

These are the ones whom no word except Thy most exalted word can move, whom nothing whatever save the sweet smelling fragrance of the robe of Thy remembrance can enrapture, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and the Maker of earth and heaven!

I beg of Thee, O my God, by Thy most exalted Word which Thou hast ordained as the Divine Elixir unto all who are in Thy realm, the Elixir through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold, O Thou in Whose hands are both the visible and invisible kingdoms, to ordain that my choice be conformed to Thy choice and my wish to Thy wish, that I may be entirely content with that which Thou didst desire, and be wholly satisfied with what Thou didst destine for me by Thy bounteousness and favor.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art He Who by a word of His mouth hath revolutionized the entire creation, and by a stroke of His pen hath divided Thy servants one from another. I bear witness, O my God, that through a word spoken by Thee in this Revelation all created things were made to expire, and through yet another word all such as Thou didst wish were, by Thy grace and bounty, endued with new life.

I render Thee thanks, therefore, and extol Thee, in the name of all them that are dear to Thee, for that Thou hast caused them to be born again, by reason of the living waters which have flowed down out of the mouth of Thy will. Since Thou didst quicken them by Thy bounteousness, O my God, make them steadfastly inclined, through Thy graciousness, towards Thy will; and since Thou didst suffer them to enter into the Tabernacle of Thy Cause, grant by Thy grace that they may not be kept back from Thee.

Unlock, then, to their hearts, O my God, the portals of Thy knowledge, that they may recognize Thee as One Who is far above the reach and ken of the understanding of Thy creatures, and immeasurably exalted above the strivings of Thy people to hint at Thy nature, and may not follow every clamorous impostor that presumeth to speak in Thy name. Enable them, moreover, O my Lord, to cleave so tenaciously to Thy Cause that they may remain unmoved by the perplexing suggestions of them who, prompted by their desires, utter what hath been forbidden unto them in Thy Tablets and Thy Scriptures.

Thou art well aware, O my Lord, that I hear the howling of the wolves which appear in Thy servants' clothing. Keep safe, therefore, Thy loved ones from their mischief, and enable them to cling steadfastly to whatsoever hath been manifested by Thee in this Revelation, which no other Revelation within Thy knowledge hath excelled.

Do Thou destine for them, O my Lord, that which will profit them. Illumine, then, their eyes with the light of Thy knowledge, that they may see Thee visibly supreme over all things, and resplendent amidst Thy creatures, and victorious over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

Praised be Thou, Who art the Lord of all creation.

Were mankind to give heed in a befitting manner to no more than one word of such a praise it would be so filled with delight as to be overpowered and lost in wonder.

Man is like unto a tree. If he be adorned with fruit, he hath been and will ever bee worthy of praise and commendation. Otherwise a fruitless tree is but fit for fire. The fruits of the human tree are exquisite, highly desired and dearly cherished. Among them are upright character, virtuous deeds and a goodly utterance... The Water for these trees is the living water of the sacred Words uttered by the Beloved of the world. In one instant are such trees planted and in the next their branches shall, through the outpourings of the showers of divine mercy, have reached the skies.

Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified

Sentence boundary needs source review; the supplied wording is retained.

A dewdrop out of this ocean would, if shed upon all that are in the heavens and on the earth, suffice to enrich them with the bounty of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Catalogue reference: BH00144 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

O Thou ... the words of Whose mouth are as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!

Catalogue reference: BH09162 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Sentence boundary needs source review; the supplied wording is retained.

The Tongue of God testified to the truth of My words, through Mine own Word that speaketh the truth, and embraceth and comprehendeth all things.

Catalogue reference: BH00657 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.