A  Mystical Tablet of Bahā'-Allāh to his eminence Khalīl ("Friend")

 

on the Prophetic Commission of Moses

 

 

لوح بعثت حضرت موسی  

 

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Translated from the Persian (+Arabic text) opening section (Pt.1) of a Tablet of Baha'-Allah printed in Ishrāq Khāvarī (comp.)  Mā'idih āsmanī   vol. 4:38-44, with corrected interlinear text. The (Persian) Pt.2  from an unpublished mss.  will be posted in due course. This is one of the most important scriptural Tablets of Baha'-Allah addressed to a Jewish convert to the Baha'i religion. An earlier version of this untitled Tablet addressed to a certain al-Khalil was first translated and commented upon in the Bahā'ī' Studies Bulletin   vol. 4:1 (198X) pp.  ADD      . 

 

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[0]

           

 بسم ربّنا الّذی وصف نفسه بنفسه  لسمّيها عن الاسمإ

 

 

In the Name of Our Lord  

 

Who hath described His Logos-Self

 

by means of His Logos-Self such that He might designate it through the Divine Names.

 

 

[I]

 

 

ملكوت جلال و جمال و جبروت عظمت و اجلال سلطان لاهوت

و مليك حی لا يموت را برازنده و زيبنده كه بنفحهای از نفحات

بحر مداد مكنون كه از قلم ترشح نمود جمال انبيإ ظاهر

 

The Sovereign of the Divine Realm and King of Life Who dieth not  hath so established and ornamented the Kingdom of Majesty and Beauty  and the Spiritual Realm of Might and Magnificence, that, through but a breeze of the breezes of the Hidden Sea of Ink  which hath exuded from the Supreme Pen,  the Beauty of the Prophets was made manifest.

[II]

 

 

و بشمس كلمه مباركه انّی انا اللّه القادر علی كلّ شئی

 كه از فم مشيّت اشراق نموده متجلّی و مستنير گشتند تعالی امره

و قدره و تعالی عزّه و شأنه و تعالت عظمته و سلطانه

They, through the Sun of the Blessed Word,  `I, verily, am Almighty God, Powerful over all things', which shone forth from the Mouth of the Divine Will,  were transfigured through the Divine Theophany and irradiated with Light.  Exalted be His Command and His Power! Exalted be His Might and His Sublimity! Exalted be His Grandeur and His Sovereignty!

[IV]

 

و پرتوانوار و تجلّيات اين شمس مشرقه منيره لائحه درآفاق وجود

 

ADD

[1] A beam from the lights and splendors of this bright, luminous and resplendent Sun became manifest and evident in the horizons of existent Being and the contingent Realities until the veils of forgetfulness intervened and eyes were withheld from witnessing.  [2]  Then the Countenance of the Speaker [Moses] appeared from the horizon of the Divine Intention of the Living One, the Ancient of Days. [3]  Praised be He Who caused Him [Moses] to be made manifest! And praise be He Who raised Him [Moses] up from the midst of the Sinaitic Fire,  saying,  `Moses, Moses! I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob!"  (Exodus 3:4a+6a).

[V]

[1] When Moses heard the Divine Call from the midst of the Sinaitic Fire, he was captivated by the charm of the All-Compelling Divinity and veiled His face out of fear, being unable to look at Him. [2]  Thunderstruck He swooned away on account of the Call of His Lord,  for a period of eighty one thousand years, until the Bounty of the Lord encompassed Him and the fragrance of reunion wafted upon Him. [3]  When he came out of His swoon He exclaimed, `Unto Thee be praised, O Thou Who hast enlivened Me  through Thy most sweet call and raised Me up once again, O Lord of Names, through the Spirit of Thine Exposition.' [4]  Moses then rose up and stood before the Lord,  submissive, humble, praising, given to the remembrance of God; glorifying and magnifying His Lord in His inmost Self for a period of nine million years.

[VI]

Then, yet again, was the Divine Call made manifest from the Supreme Horizon, Moses, Mosesl  Go in my peace and with the fragrance of My garment  unto the retreats of My Holiness and the regions of Mine Intimacy;  then unto the Cities of the Realm of Unknowing, the Kingdoms of My Spirit, the Worlds of Exaltedness, the Plains of Flashing Light, the Most-Sublime Horizon and the Gardens of Eternity. It is permitted that thou ascend every Heaven, enter every Ocean, and ride in every Ark but beware, beware lest you traverse the Ocean of Grandeur,  approach the Crimson Arks or draw nigh unto the sacred Snow-White Land  for therein is a station in which the realities of Names are consumed.

[VII]

 [And God said to Moses] "I verily, when I heard the cry for succor of My hidden people,  hearkened unto the longing of My beloved ones about whom none is informed save Myself, and became aware of their lamentation in their separation from Me  -- their tortured cries in the land of the One Who is Invoked (mustaghath) in their ardent desire for the meeting with Me and their request for reunion with Me  -- and when I came to a knowledge of their thirst and burning desire for the Kawthar of My Hidden and Treasured Name,  I desired to send you, Moses, unto them with My fragrances and My perfumes, My sweet-scents and My bounties; with My glad-tidings, My theophanies and My graces.

[VIII]

Then the Speaker [Moses] presented His plight unto the Lord, the Ancient of Days.

 He said to Him,  "If I come unto the people and say to them, 'Your Beloved bath sent Me unto you' and they ask What is His name?', what reply shall I give to them?  Then did the Divine Realm of Might quake, the celestial sphere of Power shake, and the heavenly Kingdom of Loftiness and Exaltedness swoon away. The most elevated Heaven of Heavens trembled by reason of the Divine Call which was raised from the Hidden Retreat of Grandeur and the reverberation of the Voice of the Lord displaced every ancient mountain. Say: 'I am He who is I AM WHO I AM. I AM hath sent Me [Moses] unto thee.'

O Moses!

This thou shalt say unto the thirsty ones  who desire the Kawthar of union with Me,  YHWH ( יהןה =  ىهوه ) your Beloved One hath sent Me unto you  in order that I might give thee the glad-tidings of His manifestation, His future advent, His nearness and the Meeting with Him.'

[IX]

Subsequently Moses again heard the Divine Call from the supremely pure region, the most luminous and holy station.  Say: 'YHWH it is Who, from the Unseen Cloud of Unknowing,  hath enabled Me [Moses] to hearken unto His voice and be attentive to His Call, but I have neither seen Him nor gazed upon Him.  He merely commanded Me that I should turn unto you with but a fragrance of the garment of the Beloved One  in order that patience might be established in your hearts on account of His absence and separation from thee  to the end that thou be comforted in view of  the many days of your remoteness from Him."

[X]

Then again was the Divine Call made manifest from the Furthermost Tree  that had grown up from the midst of the Throne  in the Snow-White Heights of the most concealed realm of Grandeur,  'O Mosesl  This is My Name and My Memorial unto the people throughout their holy and blessed generations. It will endure throughout the ages of Eternity and Everlastingness  and throughout times having neither beginning nor end.  This is Sign among the people of the Day of My coming unto them and through which I shall make Myself known unto them  and draw aside the veil which conceals My Beauty. They shall know naught save Me, and, apart from this My Name and this My Memorial,  shall nothing ever be mentioned among them.  These are My servants whom I did not command to prostrate themselves when I created Adam. The inhabitants of My Concealed Pavilions and the Concourse of the Realm of My Unknowing were not informed about them.

[XI]

"O Moses! Bear Thou witness that I, verily, am the Lordl I was alone, a divine Being sanctified above all Names in Mine Essence. I remained unknown for an eternity of eternities.  In the hiddenness of My Bahā' (Beauty-Glory) I shall not be known until the end of all ages. I, verily, appeared unto Abraham and lsaac and Jacob  through My Name Almighty God Powerful over all things  but by My Name  YHWH  I did not make Myself known until this Day (see Exod. 6:3). This is the Treasured Secret of My Hidden Name.  This is the Mystery of My Concealed Name. This is the cipher of My Concealed and Guarded Beauty.  It hath ever been and will ever be (as long as the Ancient Eternity of Mine Essence and the Locus of My Being endureth hidden and concealed in the Treasuries of My Command and the Storehouses of My Custodianship; secreted beneath the Veils of My Glory and wrapped under the Coverings of Mine Infallibility and Power.  I have hidden it [the name Bahā'] beneath the Robe of My Greatness  and the Canopy of My Grandeur until such time as it will be made known on My part  in a land that is concealed and hidden in the Veils or Mine Occultation and the All-Encircling Ocean of My Knowledge. I alone shall determine the appointed time for its disclosure. And He, verily is I Myself in the era of the One Invoked (al-mustaghāth). I shall decree when this Treasure (the greatest name Baha') shall be made manifest through the Sovereign of My Will and I shall break its seal through the Fingers of My Might and the Fingertips of My Power.  I shall cause that Hidden Pearl to emerge, by the submersion of My Supreme Pen,  from the concealed, inaccessible, pure and untainted Oman of Mine Ink".

[XII]

When the Divine Call was ended and the Mighty, Hidden Letters came to be in the threefold  form in the quadratic Temple and the Innermost Mystery and Secreted Treasure was made manifest and eight Illumined Letters bore up the Heavenly Throne then was the Temple of the Greatest Name perfected and sealed with a sacred, guarded Seal.

Blessed be he who gazes upon the Seal of the Beloved One  and becomes aware of that which bath been decreed in it of the Mysteries deposited in the treasuries of the Books of old on the part of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

 

 

 

TEXT AS PUBLISHED IN MA'IDIH-YI ASMANI VOL 4:38-44

 

 بسم ربّنا الّذی وصف نفسه بنفسه

 لسمّيها عن الاسمإ

 

ملكوت جلال و جمال و جبروت عظمت و اجلال سلطان لاهوت

و مليك حی لا يموت را برازنده و زيبنده كه بنفحهای از نفحات

بحر مداد مكنون كه از قلم ترشح نمود جمال انبيإ ظاهر

 

و بشمس كلمه مباركه انّی انا اللّه القادر علی كلّ شئی

 كه از فم مشيّت اشراق نموده متجلّی و مستنير گشتند تعالی امره

و قدره و تعالی عزّه و شأنه و تعالت عظمته و سلطانه

 

 

و بشمس كلمه مباركه انّی انا اللّه القادر علی كلّ شئی

 كه از فم مشيّت اشراق نموده متجلّی و مستنير گشتند تعالی امره

و قدره و تعالی عزّه و شأنه و تعالت عظمته و سلطانه و پرتو

انوار و تجلّيات اين شمس مشرقه منيره لائحه درآفاق وجود

ممكنات و حقايق موجودات ظاهر و مشهود تا آنكه حجبات

نسيان حايل شد و ابصار را از مشاهده منع نمود در اين هنگام

طلعت كليم از افق اراده حیّ قديم ظاهر و مشهود سبحان

من اظهره و سبحان من بعثه و كلمه من بحبوحة النّار موسی

موسی انا اله ابيك اله ابراهيم و اله اسحق و اله يعقوب

فلمّا سمع النّدإ من قطب النّار و اخذه جذب الجبار غطی

وجهه من الخوف و لايقدر ان ينظر اليها و انصعق من ندإ

القرب واحد و ثمانين الف سنة دهر به اذا تقرّب اليه

فضل ربّه و هب عليه عرف الوصال فلمّا وجد افاق و قال لك

الحمد يا من احييتنی من عرف ندائك الاحلی و بعثتنی مرّة

اخری من روح بيانك يا مولی الاسمإ اذا قام و وقف تلقإ الرب

تسعة الف الف سنه خاضعا خاشعا حامدا ذاكرا ممجدا

مسبحا فی سرّ السرّ ثمّ ظهر النّدإ من الافق الاعلی مرّة

بعد اخری موسی موسی اذهب بسلامی و عرف قميصی الی

مكامن قدسی و مواقع انسی ثمّ الی مدائن العمإ و ممالك

الرّوحی و عوالم العليا و ميادين السّنإ و الرفارف القصوی

و حدائق البقإ و لك ان تصعد كل سمإ و تدخل كل بحر

و تركب كل سفينة ولكن ايّاك ايّاك ان تعبر الی خليج بحر

الكبريا او تقرّب سفائن الحمرإ او تقرّب ارض المقدّسة

البيضإ لانّ هنالك مقام تحترق فيه حقائق الاسمإ انّی

لما اصغيت اغاثة شعبی المكنونه و سمعت حنين احبّائی

الّذين لم يطّلع بهم غيری و اطلعت بصريخهم فی فراقی

و ضجيجهم فی ير المستغاث شوقا للقائی و طلبا لوصالی

و علمت ظمائهم و احتراقهم لكوثر اسمی المكنون المخزون

اردت ان ارسلك اليهم بنفحاتی و فوحاتی و تضوعاتی ثمّ

عناياتی و بشاراتی و ظهوراتی و الطافی فعرض الكليم

للرب القديم اذا وصلت اليهم و قلت لهم محبوبكم ارسلتی

اليكم و قالوا لی ما اسمه فما ذإ حبيبهم اذا تزلزل لاهوت

العظمة و تحرك جبروت القوة و انصعق ملكوت العزّة و الرّفعة

ثمّ ارتعدت سموات العلی بما ارتفع النّدإمن غيب الكبريإ

و اخذ اهتزاز صوت الرّب كلّ الجبال القديم قل اهيه الّذی

اهيه اشراهيه ارسلنی اليكم يا موسی هكذا تقول للظمانين

الّذين ارادوا كوثر وصالی يهوه محبوبكم ارسلنی اليكم

لا بشركم بظهوره و وصاله و قربه و لقائه ثمّ سمع ندإ آخر

عن الشطر الاطهر المقام القدس الانور قل يهواه هو اياه

من غيب العما اسمعنی صوته و اصغانی ندائه ولكن انّی

ما رأيته و ما نظرت اليه قد امرنی بان اتوجه اليكم بعرف

قميصه المحبوب لالقی الصبر فی قلوبكم علی هجره و فراقه

و اسليكم فی بعدكم عن طول آياته ثمّ ظهر النّدإ عن شجرة

القصوی المنبتة من كبد العرش فی رفارف البيضإ عن سر

الكبريإ يا موسی هذا اسمی و ذكری لهم فی اجيالهم

المقدسة المباركة التی لاتنتهی بدهور الازل و الابد و لا يتم

بازمنة القدم و السرمد و هذه علامة مجئی  اليهم بهذا

اعرف لهم نفسی و بهذا اكشف لهم الستر عن جمالی لانّهم

لايعرفون سوائی و غير اسمی هذا و ذكری هذا لن يذكر

عندهم ابدا هؤلإ عبادی الّذين ما امرتهم بالسّجود حين

خلقت آدم و ما اطلع بهم اهل سرادق غيبی و ملأ عمائی

يا موسی فاشهد بانّنی انا الرّب قد كنت وحده الها مقدسا

عن الاسمإ كلّها بذاتی ما عرفت من قدم الاقدام و بغيب

بهائی لن اعرف الی ابد الاعهاد قد ظهرت لابراهيم و

اسحق و يعقوب باسمی الاله القادر علی كلّ شئی و اما باسمی

يهوه فلم عرفت نفسی الی هذا اليوم و هذا كنز اسمی المكنون

و هذا سرّ اسمی المخزون و هذا رمز جمالی المستور المصون

قد كان و يكون من ازليّة ذاتی و هويّة كينونتی مكنونا مخزونا

فی خزائن امری و كنائز حفظی و مستورا فی حجبات جلالی

و ستر عصمتی و اقتداری قد اخفيته تحت ردإ عظمتی و

خبإ كبريائی الی وقت يكون معلوما عندی فی ارض تكون

مستورة مخفيه فی حجبات غيبی و بحر علمی المحيط

و اعين بذلك ميعادا و هو انّه انا بالمستغاث اقضی اذا اظهر

هذا الكنز بسلطان مشيّتی و افك ختمه باصبع قدرتی و انامل

قوّتی و اخرج ذلك اللؤلؤ المكنون بغواص قلمی الاعلی

عن عمان مدادی الغيب الممتنع البحت البسيط فلما

انتهی النّدإ و تمت الاحرف العزية الغيبية علی هيئة

التثليث فی هيكل الربيع و ظهر السرّ الاسر و الكنز الاخفی

و حمل العرش الاحرف الثمانيه النّورإ اذا تمّ و كمل و ختم

هيكل الاسم الاعظم فی خاتم قدس حفيظ طوبی لمن نظر

الی خاتم المحبوب و عرف ما قدر فيه من الاسرار المودعة

فی كنائز كتب القبل من لدن عليم حكيم " انتهی .

 

 

A  COMMENTARY ON THIS TABLET CAN BE SEEN IN THE REVISED BSB  WEBSITE VERSION:

BAHA'U'LLAH  baha'u'llah  Bahá'u'lláh Baha'-Allah  Bahá