BB00314: Kitabu’l-Karim

In the Name of God, the Most Bountiful, the Most Bountiful

God—there is no God but He—the Most Bountiful, the Most Bountiful. Verily, Glory from God be upon the Most Great Vahid, and upon whoso resembleth that One, in whom naught is beheld save the primordial Light of the Ancient God.

And now, O My beloved—O Name of God, the All-Generous, thou who gazest upon the steadfast Mystery of God! Thy noble letter hath descended upon the Throne of thy Lord, the All-Exalted, for in it thy tongue hath inscribed a remembrance in the Name of “the Last,” in the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. Upon thee then—and upon him—be the splendor of your Lord, the Lord of holiness, the Ancient of Days.

In it there hath shone that before which the very Throne bowed and was rent asunder, by reason of what descended upon thee of wondrous, mighty epiphanies. Thou didst humble thyself as thou wert humbled, and thou didst quake as thou didst quake. I, verily, have besought unto Him—My Lord and thine—that He honor us with that which He loveth and approveth, and gather us together in the Hereafter and in this first life. From His bounty, His liberality, and His munificence I hope for an answer—swift and near—for He is, in truth, the Near at hand, the All-Responsive.

As to what thou hast mentioned of the letter fa’, thou hast spoken truly, My beloved. But for it God would not have brought into being the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them; nay, by its very sundering were they brought forth. Upon it is the beauty of its Lord outpoured; and it is the fa’ that provideth their sustenance, the Manifest in their first and in their last. And what thou didst recount of “the Most Great”—this likewise is confirmed.

And regarding what thou hast mentioned of the Name of Vahid—upon him be the splendor of his Lord, the Peerless, the One, the Alone! I beseech the favor of My Lord to succor him at all times, to make him solitary among His Names and unique among His similitudes; for God, verily, is powerful over all things. And as for what thou hast written concerning their expectancy, there hath descended upon them that whereby their eyes shall be cheered; and God is the Lord of abounding grace and weighty favor.

O My beloved! I have sent prayer-beads, leaves, and Haykals aforetime from the Mount of Maku unto you: first with Ahmad, then with al-ʿAzim, and thereafter with Sayyah. God willing, all have reached you. Then there went forth from “the Last” two portions of the Ziyarat and other writings unto the letter [nabrubi?]. Write thou a book for God, and acquaint him with the realities of affairs, that—if he be able—he may ascend unto the court of the Pavilion of his Lord, the All-Forgiving, until there be unveiled to him that which hath been veiled from the people of delusion. Otherwise, expound the matter for him in detail, that he may come upon the hidden secret.

I have sent unto him, from God, a Haykal in the hand of the honored Ahmad, and verses by the hand of the Pure One. Should it prove strait for thee to convey them swiftly, know that God loveth this deed; and whoso loveth God will surely strive that they be delivered unto him. Upon the heads of the Tablets it hath been inscribed:

“Convey them unto those who make mention of God above the Throne.”

If thou canst not obtain fair copies, deliver the original; then request from them a transcript of the original and keep it by thee, that the matter become not difficult for thee.

God hath granted thee leave to draw near unto that sacred precinct, if thou desire it; otherwise, abide in thy land and in the Most Exalted Land until God vouchsafe thee the meeting. The matter is in thy hand; inform Me of thy wish. I desire from thy presence naught save the safeguarding of what hath descended from Him; He hath willed—and willeth—naught from thee but this, even as there was sent down unto thee in the verses revealed unto thee, wherein He alluded to this intent.

I have dispatched a Haykal with al-ʿAzim, that it may reach the Manifestation together with the other Haykals—magnify then its glory, and be of the thankful.

Make mention to all the companions of guidance, one and all, in thy land and in the Land of Qaf; and uplift a special magnification over the Name of God, the Sacrificed (al-Dhabih); for, in very truth, He sacrificed His Self in the path of His Lord—with a sacrifice such as is accounted in the path made straight—and this is naught but through the power of God, the Most High, the Most Great. Yet God hath sent down upon thee and upon Him whatsoever He commandeth; and He hath charged Him therein with preservation.

I entreat God to guard thee at every time—before time, within time, and after time. Exalt Me with thy greeting, and all the believers with thy salutation. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!

Convey the inner missive unto the letter [nirun]; the Book of the fa’ hath been sent—deliver it unto her. I shall forward the script together with the script of her Lord, the Most Exalted. Magnify, then, over her that with which God hath magnified His own Self; and as for her allotted portion from before Me, it is in My keeping. May thy Lord reward thee! And I say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.