BB00154: Answer to Mulla Asadu’llah-i-Qazvini of Isfahan

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Praise be to God Who originated creation without any prior origination, Who invented invention without any prior invention, then placed destiny as an isthmus between them for its geometry.

Glory be unto Him and exalted is He! The sovereign manifestation of His Presence transcends description through essences, and the sacred manifestation of His Self-Subsisting Sovereignty is sanctified above characterization by contingent realities. Whosoever claims to know Him through His Identity has taken unto himself a likeness of His Sovereign Oneness, and whosoever claims He proves Himself by Himself has claimed the right of impossibility in His Essence. For He, as He is in His Eternal Being and Everlasting Identity, is beyond the comprehension of personal limitations and distinct from the decree of expression through His Essential Nature. For it is the Ancient Camphor which, through its identity, prevents manifestations from reaching similitude, and it is the Pure Essential Reality which, through its being, severs all effulgences from the station of Glory.

Glory be unto Him and exalted is He! None knoweth how He is in the eternity of eternities, and verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty. And here I am on this fifteenth night of the first month of Jim in the year 1263, in a harsh mountainous land in prison. I bear witness that there is no God but God, alone with no partner, as His Essence hath testified to His Essence that there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Wise. And I bear witness to Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, and his successors, God’s blessings be upon them, with all that pertains to him of might, oneness, glory and grandeur, such that none among creation can encompass the knowledge thereof. Verily, there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Exalted.

I bear witness concerning myself that I am a servant who hath believed in God and His signs, and have been patient in God’s path by arriving in this land after My decree, so that souls might be strengthened among the people and all might be tested by God’s command regarding His remembrance. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Wise.

Furthermore, I have read thy letter and understood what thou hast written in thy words. Know thou that pure knowledge is that which relates to naught save the knowledge of God, exalted be His mention. This is God’s nature which He created in the servant that he might thereby prove his servitude to God, his Lord, as Ali, peace be upon him, indicated in the letters of the word servant’ (abd): the ʿayn being knowledge of God, the ba’ being separation from creation, and the dal being nearness to the Creator without how or indication.

As for what thou hast written concerning the doubts that have come upon thee and thy brothers, this stems from thy station upon the carpet of nearness to thy Lord and Master. Therefore seek refuge in God, hold fast to His cord, and rely upon Him. Know that the limit of certitude is when thou fearest naught alongside God and seest no matter as significant beside God’s grandeur. Any station below this is not of Us and cannot be attributed to Us, but rather originates from the depths of the darkness of self and returns thereto when not treasured.

Regarding what thou hast written about thy migration in God’s path, nothing in the heavens or earth is hidden from God. The favor is upon thee from Him in that He hath guided thee to His path. He shall reward all with better than what they desire and do. Fear not in God’s religion from thy deeds, for God is powerful over all things, encompassing all things, and rewards all according to their qualities, and He is witness over all things.

As for what the Gate of the Imam hath written that thou must be mirrors for him, this is truth wherein there is no doubt. Just as the Imam is the mirror of God, glorified be His Glory […] Therein Hujjat hath alluded in his prayer during the venerated month of Rajab to his stations, yet be not heedless of the decree of servitude, for verily the Imam, despite his exaltation above all things and his independence from all things, was rendered helpless before his slayer and sought water, and this was by the decree of the Mighty, the Wise. And whatsoever thou seest in that station of the attributes of sacrifice returneth to that decree. None can arise to question why’ or wherefore’, nor doth it harm one who hath known God and His chosen ones that his knowledge be not manifested according to what people desire.

For if God were to grant unto each soul its desire, there would remain not a single unbeliever, yet He is not powerless to do this. Rather, He manifesteth His decree and establisheth His proof, even if it be but a single gate beyond human capacity to produce the like thereof, that those who perish might perish by clear evidence and those who live might live by clear evidence, and all might be among those who are tried.

Verily I was—God’s mercy be upon him—and claimed not the decree which I was given, and therefore no supernatural occurrences appeared from him, for the matter was obscure to thee. Hast thou not heard his words on many occasions: “Beware the name of the Amiriyyih, for I fear for it from the mouth of the speaker,” etc? Hast thou not heard his words regarding who would come after him with those verses on many occasions: “O young in age, O tender in body, O close in covenant from drinking milk”? And the absence of supernatural occurrences from His servant was due to the Imam’s decree, as people know not its mystery. And verily I, were God to will it, would manifest from me without knowledge thereof, as a grace from Him, as I wrote in two books sent to two scholars the decree before its occurrence by eighty-seven days. What matter could equal that? Sharpen thy vision, purify thy sight, and seek forgiveness from God thy Lord that thou mayest be among the believers.

For what I wrote was from the decree of God’s word, exalted be He: “Have I made thee like unto Me?” etc. By my life, I have not obeyed God in that station due to my weakness and incapacity. There is no doubt that God my Lord faileth not His promise. I merely indicated from the works of Mir Damad and Shaykh Baha’i—God’s mercy be upon them both and may He forgive them both—God knoweth regarding them that I have claimed nothing of those arts nor am I capable of them except as God willeth and honoureth me.

Verily spiritual exercises and eating little are no proof in My case, for I neither tire Myself nor reduce My food due to My physical weakness. Rather, the proof is that I have no proof. Understand if thou art possessed of understanding, otherwise submit to God’s command that thou mayest be among the successful ones. I merely described the attributes of one who beareth that station—God knoweth best where He placeth His decree. As for knowledge, it is My knowledge of God and His chosen ones, and I know naught else. As for deeds, none hath fewer deeds than I, yet what passeth through Mine inner being is superior to the deeds of all the learned divines. As for supernatural occurrences, I possess nothing for Myself, and there is no greater sign for Me than My words, for the light of the Eternal Morn hath shone upon Mine outward being like unto Mine inner mysteries. I say not to thee more or less than this, and I seek God’s forgiveness for limitation by either greater or lesser, and unto Him do I turn.

What I wrote was from the debate with the Siyyid—God’s mercy be upon him—in Baghdad and with the nine scholars, and their acceptance of truth from him, though I know not of it. None among them accepteth his religion except through their being compelled. Be fair in God’s religion today—all the opponents are more strictly bound by the Cause due to their inability to produce works equal to even the briefest period of the Shaykh or the Siyyid—God’s mercy be upon them both. There is no doubt in this for those possessed of understanding, and God sufficeth as a guardian.

I wrote this only for one who hath attained unto the very Self of the Perfect Man among the gnostics, and to set forth the inner meanings thereof regarding the bearer of that Causea€“and to make plain thine inability to answer thyself concerning this. Fear God and follow not your desires, for God, the Mighty and Glorious, speaking to His Beloved, says:”Thou guidest not whom thou lovest, but God guides whom He will.” How could any soul be mightier than the soul of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family? How then could He not transform the souls of His kindred from unbelief to faith? And thus is the decree, from the greatest to the least. Indeed, God has made His Cause clear and established, such that all souls may comprehend it.

Then He, exalted be His mention, said: “There is no compulsion in religion,” and “Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve,” and “Whoso disbelieves, God is independent of all creation.” Though there is no doubt that had Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, wished to guide all through his irresistible will, God would have guided all mankind. But the guidance of all was not ordained, as decreed by thy Lord. Thus, whoso attains to felicity enters into the religion of God, and whoso follows his desires knows God’s decree and thereafter becomes one of the idolators.

Say: I fear and hope for His pardon and His punishment, and I know of a certainty that His decree is justice; if it be pardon, it is His grace, and if it be chastisement, I am deserving of it. O Death that will not leave me be, grant me rest, for thou hast taken all my friends. I see thee as though thou wert jubilant with those I love, as though thou wert advancing toward them by my guidance. Here then is a brief answer to thy questions, but the detailed response lies in contemplating these concise words. And I have loved being in this state wherein I am constrained, after having power over others for thy sake. So praise be to God Who has freed me for His worship, His communion, and His glorification, and for the praise of Muhammad and His chosen ones. To Him do I complain of my grief and sorrow, upon Him do I rely in my solitude and exile. God suffices as Guardian, and glory be to God morning and evening.