"Every tree uttered a word, and every leaf sang a melody."

 

photo by Trina G.

He is God. Glorified be He; Grandeur and Might are His.

On the morning of the blessed Friday, We proceeded from the Mansion and entered the Garden. Every tree uttered a word, and every leaf sang a melody. The trees proclaimed: “Behold the evidences of God’s Mercy”,^1. and the twin streams recited in the eloquent tongue the sacred verse “From us all things were made alive.” Glorified be God! Mysteries were voiced by them, which provoked wonderment: in which school were they educated, and from whose presence had they acquired their learning? Yea! This Wronged One knoweth and He saith: “From God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsistent”.

Upon Our being seated, Ráḍíyih—upon her be My glory—attained Our presence on thy behalf, laid the table of God’s bounty, and in thy name extended hospitality to all present. In truth, all that which stimulateth the appetite and pleaseth the eye was offered,² and indeed that which delighteth the ear could also be heard as the leaves were stirred by the Will of God, and from this movement a refreshing voice was raised, as if uttering a blissful call inviting the absent to this Feast. God’s power and the perfection of His handiwork could enjoyably be seen in the blossoms, the fruits, the trees, the leaves, and the streams. Praised be God, Who hath thus confirmed thee and her.

In brief, all in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bounties and in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their Lord. O that all God’s beloved had been present on this day!

We beseech God, exalted be He, to cause to descend upon thee, at every moment, a blessing and a mercy and a measure of divine grace from His presence. He is the Forgiving, the All-Glorious.

We send greetings to His loved ones, and supplicate for each one of them that which is worthy of mention and is acceptable in His presence. Peace be upon thee, and upon God’s sincere servants. Praise be to Him, the Lord of all mankind.^3 "

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/840516670

1.  Qur’án 30:50.2Cf. Qur’án 43:51.3Translation of the Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh which is framed and hanging in His room at the Riḍván Garden.

2. Cf. Qur’án 43:51.3Translation of the Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh which is framed and hanging in His room at the Riḍván Garden.

3. Translation of the Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh which is framed and hanging in His room at the Riḍván Garden.

"They that have been faithful unto the Covenant of God are accounted among the most exalted of all creatures before Him Who is the Eternal Truth, the Most High."

 

photo by Trina G.

"They that have been faithful unto the Covenant of God are accounted among the most exalted of all creatures before Him Who is the Eternal Truth, the Most High. They that have turned away therefrom are reckoned among the inmates of the nethermost fire in the sight of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Unconstrained."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/399531364

"Great is the station of him who hath in this Day perceived and become aware of the truth, and wretched is he who hath failed to comprehend the utterances of the Lord of wisdom and to recognize the newly arrived Friend in His new attire."

 

Venus and Comet, photo by Trina G.

"In the name of God, the All-Loving!

O Mihrábán! One of the friends hath evoked thy remembrance; thus have We remembered thee.

In this glorious Day, everything that can be seen is a witness and calleth all men unto the one true God. Say! This is the Day in which the sun of spiritual discernment is shining forth in the heaven of true understanding. Blessed is he that hath perceived and recognized it. Whatsoever was foretold in former times hath now been fulfilled.
Say, O friends! Suffer not yourselves to be far removed from the ocean of heavenly grace. He is come astonishingly near unto you. He Who had been concealed from men’s eyes is now come. How good is His coming! In one hand He is carrying the water of life, and in the other the charter of true liberty. Cast ye away one thing and take hold of another. Cast away whatsoever pertaineth to the world, and take firm hold of that which the hand of divine providence imparteth unto you. Lo, that which no eye hath ever beheld is now revealed. O friends! Hasten ye, hasten ye; hearken ye, hearken ye!

The deeds of the high priests have caused the people to be estranged from Almighty God. Instead of evincing self-denial, they have given themselves up to inordinate desires and strayed far from the path of the Lord God. They have grievously erred, yet fondly imagine themselves to be treading the right Path. We have, however, warned the leaders of religion and taken them to witness, that they might in this day solemnly affirm His truth and guide His creatures unto the Spirit of Purity.
Say, O high priests! Shake off your slumber, rouse yourselves from unconsciousness, incline your inner ears to the melody of the All-Sufficing, and conduct yourselves in a manner that beseemeth the Day of God Himself.

Great is the station of him who hath in this Day perceived and become aware of the truth, and wretched is he who hath failed to comprehend the utterances of the Lord of wisdom and to recognize the newly arrived Friend in His new attire.
Behold, the Ocean of true knowledge hath appeared, and the Day-Star of wisdom shineth resplendent. Incline your ears to the Voice of the Eternal Lord of Utterance and purge yourselves from whatsoever is deemed unseemly, that ye may become worthy to gain admittance into the court of your Creator. Say, in this Day the Almighty hath unloosed His tongue before the assemblage of men. It behoveth you to draw nigh unto Him and to grasp the truth of His weighty utterance. 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.

Thy name was mentioned before Us, and We have remembered thee in Our Tablet. This remembrance is like unto a sapling that We have planted with the hand of loving-kindness. Erelong will it grow verdant and flourishing, laden with abundant fruits. Thus hath the Lord God ordained, and thus hath He shown the way. He is the Mighty, the Seeing, the Lord of Utterance and Wisdom."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/506062722

"Absolute meekness yieldeth many a result and beareth many a fruit."

 

Savannah Wall © Chuck Egerton 2024

"Gracious God! The people of God suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill. During the events that came to pass, they were the embodiments of utter meekness and even interceded on behalf of the murderers before the governor.¹ Yet the envy and hatred of the heedless only increased; this bountiful grace held no value in their eyes and brought forth no fruit or result. But on account of the meekness of the people of God and their lack of any aid or helper, he who is the possessor of armaments arose to redress the wrongs.² Absolute meekness yieldeth many a result and beareth many a fruit."

—Bahá’u’lláh

1 Reference to the events surrounding the martyrdom of Ḥájí Muḥammad-Riḍáy-i-Iṣfahání in ‘Ishqábád in 1889. The Bahá’í community interceded with the government on behalf of the murderers, and the Czar agreed to clemency for them. See The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf(www.bahai.org/r/684455299).

2 Reference to Czar Alexander III. The original contains a play on the words siláḥ(armaments) and iṣláḥ(redress the wrongs).

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/816802039

"Die, therefore, in your wrath, O people of oppression and ignorance!"

 

Remedios Varo

"The son of Naṣr Jím

In the name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Powerful!

This is a Tablet from God unto him who hath been guided through the splendours of the Spirit and is of them that have believed and been led aright.

O servant! Say: “In the name of God, by God and in the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!” 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.

Say, verily He is at this moment calling aloud from His seat of effulgent glory to all creation through His sweet and wondrous melodies; beware lest ye tarry in these days. Tread ye the Straight Path by the leave of your Lord, the Merciful, and be not of them that have erred and strayed. Say, verily He hath been sent down once again from the heaven of Divine Decree and reciteth unto you His mighty verses. This is indeed better for you than the dominion of this world and of the next.

Say, O people! Will ye dispute with the Spirit concerning what He hath seen and witnessed,¹ after He hath proclaimed the truth in the heart of ‘Alí,² and before Him in the heart of Muḥammad and in the hearts of all Who have related the verses revealed unto Them by God, the Exalted, the Most High? Say, O people of the Bayán! Should ye arise together with all the inhabitants of the earth to lead astray but one of the loved ones of God, ye would fail to do so. Die, therefore, in your wrath, O people of oppression and ignorance!

As for thee, do thou sanctify thy soul from corrupt desires; enter, then, the realms on high and follow not them that fly upon the wings of evil passions. Be firm in the Cause of God and His religion, remember that which He hath endured at the hands of His enemies, and be not of the heedless and forgetful. Spirit and glory rest upon thee and upon them that have held fast to the Handle of God and have been guided by the light of sanctity."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/459004236

1 Cf. Qur’án 53:12.
2 The Báb.

"Know thou then that the patient sighs of the oppressed are dearer to God than all deeds, could ye but comprehend it."

 

Confederate Monuments still standing in Savannah Georgia © Chuck Egerton 2024

"Adorn thyself with My virtues, in such wise that should anyone stretch forth the hand of oppression against thee, thou wouldst neither take notice nor contend with him. Leave him to the judgement of thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, and be thou long-suffering under all conditions. By God! This is one of Mine attributes, though none but the sincere are apprised of it. Know thou then that the patient sighs of the oppressed are dearer to God than all deeds, could ye but comprehend it. Be patient in whatsoever may befall thee, and put thy trust in God, thy Lord, in all thine affairs. He, verily, doth suffice thee against the harm inflicted by all that have been and shall be, and doth protect thee within the shelter of His Cause and the stronghold of His custody."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/228892775

" ... ceaselessly strive for the betterment of the lives of one another."

 

© Chuck Egerton 2024

"It ill beseemeth men to centre all their efforts on their own selves; rather must they ceaselessly strive for the betterment of the lives of one another."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/275436615