From a Tablet of the Bāb to Mullā Muhammad Baqīr-i Tabrīzī
(d. Istanbul c. 1881 CE), the 13th `Letter of the Living'
From the text published in Appendix 1:1-10 to the volume Mīrzā `Abu'l-Faḍl Gulpaygānī, et. al. Kashf al-ghiṭā' `an ḥiyal al-a`dā' [Samarkand, 0000] Tashkent, 1919.
Introduction and translation, Stephen N. Lambden
Last revised 28-10-09 + 02-04-2015. Under correction and revision 2016-7.
Last corrected 08-10-2016
What follows is an extract from a Tablet of the Bāb to the 13th `Letter of the Living', one of the early 18 disciples of the Bāb who became a Bahā`ī, Mullā Muhammad Baqīr-i Tabrīzī (d. Istanbul. c.1881). It is extracted from an Important Tablet in reply to his question about the Bābī Messiah figure man yuẓhiru-hu Allāh ("Him whom God will make manifest"), for Bahā`īs, the person of Bahā'-Allāh. The Tablet opens with a basmala expressive of the transcendence of the Ultimate Divinity then a testimony to His Oneness...
Later there is a section which is apparently a eulogium of the divine qualities of man yuẓhiru-hu Allāh (for Bahā`īs = Bahā'-Allāh). In the original Arabic it is hypnotic in its rhythmic intensity for in each line there is a double repetition of ta`ālī ("exalted be...") followed by a Divine attribute. I have somewhat arbitrarily rendered the repeated ta`ālī as `exalted be' (X2) then `elevated be' (x2) and 'lofty be' (x3) in three fold patterns; the versification is my own invention for the convenience of reference and is arbitrary.
The Tablet of the Bāb in reply to a question about the Bābī messiah man yuẓhiru-hu Allāh ("Him whom God will make manifest").
Introduction from the Appendix in Kash al-Ghita'.
The substance of a blessed letter of the First Point [the Bab], exalted be His sublime remembrance in reply to Mulla Baqir the Letter of the Living who had asked about the sanctified existence of man yuẓhiru-hu Allāh (Him Whom God shall make manifest) ...
A Tablet of the Bāb to Mullā Muhammad Baqīr-i Tabrīzī
Text translated from Kashf al-ghita' App. 1
Stephen Lambden - in progress and under revision 2016-7.
[0]
بسم الله الامنع الاقدس
In the Name of God, the Transcendent, the Most Holy.
[1]
الحمد للّه الذی لا اله الّا هو العزيز المحبوب
Praised be to God, no god is there except Him, the Mighty, the Beloved One.
[2-4]
و انما البهاء من اللّه عزّ ذكره علی من يظهره اللّه جل امره
و من يخلق بامره و لا يری فيه الاّ ما قد تجلی اللّه له به
بقوله علی انّه لا اله الّا هو المهيمن القيّوم
[2] The splendor which cometh from God (al-bahā' min Allāh), exalted be His Remembrance, be upon `Him Whom God shall make manifest' (man yuẓhiru-hu Allāh), exalted be His command, [3] and upon whomsoever is created through His command, for naught can be seen in Him except [indications] that God had caused the divine Theophany to be manifested unto him, within him [4] by virtue that is of His utterance, `Verily, no God is there save Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.'
[I]
And now regarding what I have heard from your letter for what is expressed therein is a jewel (jawhar) wherein you inquire regarding what is most beloved of Thee according to that standard; whether there is not, at this moment, anything that could be conceived [greater than what is expressed] with the genesis [of this Cause] (fi'l-ibda`). So regarding what is the Most Supreme expression of Bounty (a`zam dhikr) about which you had enquired. And that One is indeed the Most Elevated, Most Powerful, Most Glorious, Most Inaccessible and Most Holy Reality [for He is] far beyond what could be conceived by the inmost human hearts (al-afidah) by means of His gnosis (irfan), or by the very Spirits (al-arwāḥ) by means of prostration before Him, or indeed by bodies (al-ajsam)
TO BE REVISED AND COMPLETED
[1]
و ان اقول انه قيوم فذلك مظهر احد من قوّام بساط احديته
And I say that He, verily, is the Qayyūm ("Deity Self-Subsisting"), for that one is indeed a Manifestation [Theophany] (maẓhar) of One of those Mightily Staunch through the unfolding of His Oneness.
[2]
فتعالی تعالی ذكره ثم تعالی تعالی شأنه ثم تعالی تعالی وصفه
So exalted, exalted is His Remembrance! (dhikr)
Then elevated, elevated is His Rank! (sha'n)
And lofty, lofty is His Depiction! (waṣf)
[3]
فتعالی تعالی نعته ثم تعالی تعالی عزه ثم تعالی تعالی قدسه
So exalted, exalted is His Characterization! (ni`at)
Then elevated, elevated is His Might ! (`izz)
And lofty, lofty is His Holiness! (quds)
[4]
فتعالی تعالی مجده ثم تعالی تعالی حمده ثم تعالی تعالی حبه
So exalted, exalted be His Glory! (majd)
Then elevated, elevated be His Praise! (ḥamd)
And lofty, lofty is His Love! (ḥubb)
[5]
فتعالی تعالی اسمه ثم تعالی تعالی وده ثم تعالی تعالی نوره
So exalted, exalted is His Name! (ism)
Then elevated, elevated is His Loving tenderness! (wudd)
And lofty, lofty is His Light! (nūr)
[6]
فتعالی تعالی رسمه ثم تعالی تعالی قرب ثم تعالی تعالی بهاءه
So exalted, exalted is His Portrayal ! (rasm)
Then elevated, elevated is His Proximity! (qurb)
And lofty, lofty is His Glory-Splendour! (bahā')!
[7]
فتعالی تعالی ضياءه ثم تعالی تعالی علاه ثم تعالی تعالی ثناءه
So exalted, exalted is His Radiance! (ḍiyā')
Then elevated, elevated is His Sublimity! (`alā)
And lofty, lofty is His Laudation! (thanā')
[8]
فتعالی تعالی امثاله ثم تعالی تعالی جلاله ثم تعالی تعالی جماله
So exalted, exalted are His Likenesses! (imthāl)
Then elevated, elevated is His Majesty! (jalāl)
And lofty, lofty is His Beauty! (jamāl).
[9]
فتعالی تعالی فعاله ثم تعالی تعالی فضاله الله ثم تعالی تعالی عداله
So exalted, exalted is His Mode of Activity! (fi`āl)
Then elevated, elevated is His Graciousness! (fiḍāl)
And lofty, lofty is His Exercise of Justice! (`idāl)
[10]
فتعالی تعالی مثاله ثم تعالی تعالی اياته ثم تعالی تعالی بيناته
So exalted, exalted is His Likeness (mithāl)!
Then elevated, elevated are His Verses [Signs] (āyāt)!
And lofty, lofty are His Expositons (bayyināt)!
[11]
فتعالی تعالی كلماته ثم تعالی تعالی ظهوراته ثم تعالی تعالی تبيانه
So exalted, exalted are His Utterances (kalimāt)!
Then elevated, elevated are His theophanic manifestations (ẓuhūrat)!
And lofty, lofty is His Power of Elucidation (tibyān)!
[12]
فتعالی تعالی شئوناته ثم تعالی تعالی لحظاته الله ثم تعالی تعالی اشاراته
So exalted, exalted are His Modes of Operation (shu'ūnāt)!
Then elevated, elevated are His Glances (lahzāt)!
And lofty, lofty are His Allusive Ways (ishārāt)!
[13]
فتعالی تعالی عظمته ثم تعالی تعالی رحمته ثم تعالی تعالی كلمته
So exalted, exalted is His Might (`azimat)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Mercy (raḥmat)!
And lofty, lofty is His Word (kalimat)!
[14]
فتعالی تعالی ولايته ثم تعالی تعالی ستاناته ثم تعالی تعالی مشيته
So exalted, exalted is His providential Guidance (wilāya)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Magnificent Sovereignty (salṭāna)!
And lofty, lofty is His [Divine] Will (mashiyya)!
[15]
فتعالی تعالی ارادته ثم تعالی تعالی قدره ثم تعالی تعالی قضائه
So exalted, exalted is His Intended Purpose (irada)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Fateful Power (qadr)!
And lofty, lofty is His Decree of Accomplishment (qaḍā')!
[16]
فتعالی تعالی امضائه ثم تعالی تعالی اذنه ثم تعالی تعالی اجله
So exalted, exalted is His Act of Realization (imḍā')!
Then elevated, elevated is His Power of Authorization (idhn)!
And lofty, lofty be His Appointed Time (ajil)!
[17]
فتعالی تعالی كتابه ثم تعالی تعالی علمه ثم تعالی تعالی حلمه
So exalted, exalted is His [Archetypal] Book (kitab)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Knowledge (`ilm)!
And lofty, lofty is His Power of Discernment (ḥilm)!
[18]
فتعالی تعالی حكمه ثم تعالی تعالی عدله ثم تعالی تعالی فضله
So exalted, exalted is His Wisdom (ḥikma)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Justice (`adl)!
And lofty, lofty is His Graciousness (faḍl)!
[19]
فتعالی تعالی سمعه ثم تعالی تعالی عينه ثم تعالی تعالی لسانه
So exalted, exalted is His Hearing [Ear] (samā`)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Seeing Sight [Eye] (`ayn)!
And lofty, lofty is His Lofty Tongue [Language] (lisān)!
[20]
فتعالی تعالی موهبته ثم تعالی تعالی مسائله ثم تعالی تعالی دلاائله
So exalted, exalted is His Generosity (mawhibat)!
Then elevated, elevated are His Concerns [Enquiries] (masā'il)!
And lofty, lofty is His Proofs (dalā'il)!
[21]
فتعالی تعالی مصابيحه ثم تعالی تعالی مقاديره ثم تعالی تعالی امره
So exalted, exalted is His Luminaries (maṣābīḥ)!
Then elevated, elevated are His Powers of measuring things out (maqādir)!
And lofty, lofty is His Logos-Command (amr)!
[22]
فتعالی تعالی بدعه ثم تعالی تعالی شرفه ثم تعالی تعالی قدمه
So exalted, exalted is His Generative Powers (bad`)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Nobility (sharaf)!
And lofty, lofty is His Pre-existence (qidam)!
[23]
فتعالی تعالی ملكه ثم تعالی تعالی منه ثم تعالی تعالی بينته
So exalted, exalted is His Dominion (mulk)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Benevolence (mann)!
And lofty, lofty is His Expository Power (bayyina)!
[24]
فتعالی تعالی مقعده ثم تعالی تعالی معبده ثم تعالی تعالی كينونيته يقومن بامره
So exalted, exalted is His Seat of Repose [Throne] (maq`ad)!
Then elevated, elevated is His Being the acme of Worship (ma`bad)!
And lofty, lofty is His Being (kaynūniyyat) above whatsoever
might [merely] be raised up through His Logos-Command.
[25]
هو الّذی عرفه كل شيئ و لن يعرفه من شيئ و هذا هو الّذی يقوم به كل ...
[1] This is He Who hath comprehended all things (kull shay') and Who hath not been understood by a single thing. [2] This is He through Whom all things (kull shay') shall be raised up though He shall not raise up through His Own Self aught save what God willeth through His Decree. [3] This is He Who causeth everything (kull shay') to turn towards Him and Who hath not caused to...
[7] And whoso believeth in Him, it is as if he hath believed in God in every world of the command and of the creation (awālim al-amr wa'l-khalq).
[XX]
[0] So by He Who through Whom the grain is split (falaq al-habbat; Q. 6:95) and the Breeze initiated! Were I to be assured [or `if thou should remain] that on the Day of His Manifestation thou would not come to faith in Him, then would I acknowledge from you the appearance of faith in that Manifestation. Thou, indeed were not created save for His sake. Should, on the other hand, I become informed that one of the Christians hath come to faith in Him, I would assuredly acknowledge him the apple of My eye (qurrat al-`aynī) and I would register [the reality of his faith] in that [coming] Dispensation (ẓuhūr; `Theophany'). Should the situation be otherwise, I would witness to the contrary. If, on the Day of His Manifestation (ẓuhūr), that [Christian] individual should have faith in Him, all of His affairs (`worlds' `awālim) would transformed into "Light" (al-nūr). Yet should that [Christian] believer become veiled from Him on the Day of His Manifestation, all of His affairs (`worlds' `awālim) would be transformed into Hell Fire (al-nār). [see Sarraj 65 and Disp.9]
[XX]
[ ] So by the True One (al-haqq)! His [the Christian unbelievers] person (nafs) which is, in the estimation of God, devoid of reality (la haqq), shall disowned by him (KFR; or `deal with/suffice' him?); shall not be anything like unto him (shubbiha; cf. Q. 4:156); will not deal equitably with him nor be associated with him or be his similitude (mithāl). There is no one who hath truly believed in the Bayān, which is the reality of faith (haqq al-imān), except such as shall come to faith in Him -- like unto those who have truly believed in the Qur'ān which the Reality of Faith (haqq al-imān).
On the Day when He whom God shall make manifest (man yuhiru-hu Allāh) shall appear, all who are upon the earth shall be equal before Him. And whomsoever he maketh a prophet (nabī) shall have been a prophet in his estimation from the beginning which hath no beginning unto the end which knoweth no end. Such is what God math decreed. And whomsoever he make a walī (`authority' overseer) an walī (overseer) is what he was in all the worlds [of God]. Such would have undoubtedly been the case since the Will of God (mashiyyat Allāh) hath never been realized except through His Will (mashiyyatihi); neither hath the Purpose of God (irādat Allāh) been actualized other than through His Purpose (irādatihi). He is assuredly the Wrathful (al-qāhir), the Powerful (al-muqtaddir), the Inacessable (al- ADD)...