| Sorted by date ascending, title ascending. Sort: |
| Rashh-i-'Ama ( رشح عما ), Persian, 280 words, dated pre-Baghdad (before April 1853) authorized transl. available | BH03230 |
| A short Persian poem of mystical exaltation composed in Tehran. | |
| Baz Av-u-Bidih Jamih, Return and Offer a Cup ( بازآ و بده جامی ), Arabic and Persian, 180 words, dated Early Baghdad and Kurdistan (April 1853–March 1856) | BH05338 |
| Brief ode celebrating the divine love, beseeching immortal life, and expressing His desire for evanescence in God and His wish to offer up His life in the path of God. | |
| Lawh-i-Kullu't-Ta'am, Tablet of All Food ( لوح كل الطعام ), Arabic, 2370 words, dated Early Baghdad and Kurdistan (April 1853–March 1856) | BH00267 |
| A commentary offering several allegorical interpretations of the Qur'anic verse 'All food was allowed to the children of Israel' (Qur'an 3:93). | |
| Qasidiy-i-'Izz-i-Varqa'iyyih, Ode of the Dove ( قصيده عز ورقائيه ), Arabic, 3950 words, dated Early Baghdad and Kurdistan (April 1853–March 1856) | BH00115 |
| A lengthy poem composed in the style of a poem by Ibn-i-Fariḍ, glorifying the spirit that had visited Him in the form of the Maid of Heaven, expatiating on His sufferings and His loneliness and affirming His determination to face any future calamities that might befall Him in the path of God. | |
| Saqi az Ghayb-i-Baqa, "cup-bearer of the hidden realm" ( ساقی از غیب بقا ), Persian, 240 words, dated Early Baghdad and Kurdistan (April 1853–March 1856) | BH03843 |
| A brief ode alluding to His messianic secret and calling for purification of heart and commitment to love and sacrifice as conditions of the spiritual journey. | |
| Asl-i-Kullu'l-Khayr, Words of Wisdom ( أصل كل الخير ), Arabic, 400 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH02183 |
| A brief collection of moral maxims, summarizing the essence of faith, love, wisdom, religion, wealth, and others and centring around belief in God and submission to His will. | |
| Az Bagh-i-Ilahi, From the Divine Garden ( از باغ الهى ), Arabic and Persian, 820 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH01007 |
| Poem hailing the revelation of the Bab and the advent of the approaching Day of God, coming with the trumpet blast of the words 'I am God!', and shattering the idols of the past. | |
| Chihar Vadi, The Four Valleys ( چهار وادی ), Persian, 2100 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00306 |
| A mystical work elaborating four different but complementary paths of approach to the Divine: the way of 'the self ', 'the intellect', 'love', and 'the throne of the inmost heart'. | |
| Haft Vadi, The Seven Valleys ( هفت وادى ), Persian, 6100 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00047 |
| His most important mystical composition, patterned in part after Farid'u'd-Din 'Aṭṭar's Manṭiqu'l-Ṭayr ('The Conference of the Birds'), describing seven stages in the path of the spiritual wayfarers—'search', 'love', 'knowledge', 'unity', 'contentment', 'wonderment', and 'true poverty and absolute nothingness'—and revealing that the source of conflict upon earth can be traced to the wayfarers' lack of awareness of the relative truths to be found within each of these stages. | |
| Halih Halih ya Bisharat, Hail Hail O Glad Tidings / Hallelujah O Good News ( هله هله يا بشارت ), Persian, 440 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH02000 |
| Ecstatic poem celebrating the descent of the Maid of Heaven, who brings both life and death to her lovers. | |
| Hur-i-'Ujab, The Wondrous Maiden ( الحور العجاب ), Arabic, 450 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH01966 |
| Ecstatic poem announcing the appearance and unveiling of the Maid of Heaven, her announcement to the people of the world, their rejection of her summons, and her return in sorrow to her abode. | |
| Hurufat-i-'Alin (=Kalimat-i-'Uliya), The Exalted Letters ( الحروفات العاليات / حروفات عالين ), Arabic and Persian, 5270 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00064 |
| A meditation on mortality, death, suffering, and theodicy, in remembrance of a cousin who had recently died. | |
| Kalimat-i-Maknunih, Hidden Words - Persian ( کلمات مکنونه ), Persian, 3970 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00113 |
| The Persian portion of His foremost ethical work, consisting of 82 aphorisms spoken in the voice of the Divine and declaring themselves to be the 'inner essence' of what was revealed to 'the Prophets of old', affirming the essential nobility and divinity of the human soul, prescribing its intimate communion with its Creator, proclaiming the oneness of the human race, and declaring our consequent responsibility to fellowship, love, fair-mindedness, and mutual aid for one another, especially the poor and downtrodden. | |
| Kalimat-i-Maknunih, Hidden Words - Arabic ( کلمات مکنونه ), Arabic, 1750 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00386 |
| The Arabic portion of His foremost ethical work, consisting of 71 aphorisms spoken in the voice of the Divine and declaring themselves to be the 'inner essence' of what was revealed to 'the Prophets of old', affirming the essential nobility and divinity of the human soul, prescribing its intimate communion with its Creator, proclaiming the oneness of the human race, and declaring our consequent responsibility to fellowship, love, fair-mindedness, and mutual aid for one another, especially the poor and downtrodden. | |
| Kitab-i-Iqan, The Book of Certitude ( کتاب ایقان ), Persian and Arabic, 36200 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00002 |
| Baha'u'llah's preeminent doctrinal work as well as His second longest, answering four questions from an uncle of the Bab regarding prophetic expectation and fulfilment, affirming the essential unity of the prophets of God while simultaneously acknowledging the distinctiveness of their persons and missions, expounding the concept of progressive revelations from God that are renewed about every thousand years, summarizing the spiritual prerequisites of the seekers on the spiritual path, clarifying the central role in that path of the independent investigation of reality, condemning the clergy for their role in the rejection of the prophets from age to age, and emphasizing, through a commentary on certain verses of the gospels, the need for a symbolic as opposed to a literal understanding of sacred scriptures. | |
| Lawh-i-Bulbulu'l-Firaq, Tablet of the Nightingale of Bereavement / "parting" ( لوح بلبل الفراق ), Arabic and Persian, 530 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH01644 |
| Announces in sorrowful language His departure from Baghdad and reproaches those who had thus far failed to recognize Him. | |
| Lawh-i-Ghulamu'l-Khuld, Tablet of the Immortal Youth ( لوح غلام الخلد ), Arabic and Persian, 1070 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH00729 |
| Narrates in mystical language the appearance of the Immortal Youth (Baha'u'llah), whose beauty is compared to that of Joseph, who is unveiled by the Maid of Heaven and who summons His lovers unto Him. | |
| Lawh-i-Huriyyih, Tablet of the Maiden ( لوح الحورية ), Arabic, 1580 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00454 |
| Describes a visionary encounter with the Maid of Heaven, who looks deeply within His soul and expires in sorrow upon perceiving the extent of His suffering. | |
| Lawh-i-Mallahu'l-Quds, Tablet of the Holy Mariner (Arabic) ( لوح ملّاح القدس ), Arabic, 810 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH01026 |
| Relates two different versions of a mystical narrative of the launching of the 'Crimson Ark' of Baha'u'llah's Covenant upon the ocean of glory and foreshadows that some within that Ark will stray and be cast out for desiring 'to ascend unto that state which the Lord hath ordained to be above their stations'. (Arabic portion) | |
| Lawh-i-Mallahu'l-Quds, Tablet of the Holy Mariner (Persian) ( لوح ملّاح القدس ), Persian, 630 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH01355 |
| Relates two different versions of a mystical narrative of the launching of the 'Crimson Ark' of Baha'u'llah's Covenant upon the ocean of glory and foreshadows that some within that Ark will stray and be cast out for desiring 'to ascend unto that state which the Lord hath ordained to be above their stations'. (Persian portion) | |
| Lawh-i-Maryam, Tablet to Maryam ( لوح مريم ), Persian and Arabic, 1300 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00579 |
| Recounts to one of His cousins Baha'u'llah's banishment to Baghdad, His departure for Sulaymaniyah, the dispirited character of the Babi community upon His return, and His efforts to instil new life into it; alludes to His still-hidden messianic secret and counsels purity of heart as a precondition to its recognition; and announces His withdrawal from the community. | |
| Lawḥ-i-‘Áshiq-va-Ma‘shúq, Tablet of Lover and Beloved ( لوح عاشق و معشوق ), Persian, 400 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) authorized transl. available | BH02198 |
| Addresses the 'nightingales of God', announcing the blooming of a 'new flower' in the 'rose-garden of changeless splendour', calling them to detach themselves from the world and to taste 'the abandonment of enraptured love', and warning them of the fleeting nature of their opportunity. | |
| Madinatu'r-Rida, City of Radiant Acquiescence ( مدينة الرضا ), Arabic, 2180 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00295 |
| Expounds various stages and degrees of contentment: contentment with God and His decree; with one's own self, which requires detachment from the world; with one's fellow believers, which implies humility in their presence; and with the vicissitudes of the world. | |
| Madinatu't-Tawhid, City of Unity ( مدينة التوحيد ), Arabic, 3720 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00134 |
| A theological discussion of the concept of divine unity from various perspectives: the unity of the divine Essence, of the divine attributes, of the divine Manifestations, of action, and of worship. | |
| Sahifiy-i-Shattiyih, Book of the River Tigris ( صحیفه شطیّه ), Persian and Arabic, 1730 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00394 |
| Challenges the validity of miracles as proof and takes the coursing of the Tigris River as a central metaphor in a discussion of the irresistible power of the Cause of God, fate and predestination, and the root cause of dissension in the world. | |
| Shikkar-Shikan Shavand, "tablet of sweet gratitude" / thanks-giving ( لوح شکر شکن شوند ), Arabic and Persian, 1050 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00746 |
| Poetically anticipates future opposition and lauds the constancy of the loved ones of God in the face of threats and persecutions. | |
| Subhana Rabbiya'l-A'la, Glory to God Almighty ( سبحان ربي الاعلى ), Arabic, 600 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH01447 |
| Celebrates, through a vision of the appearance and unveiling of the Maid of Heaven, the renewal of the mystic realm and portends future tests and difficulties. | |
| Súriy-i-Dam, Tablet of Blood ( سورة الدم ), Arabic, 1850 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00358 |
| Proclamatory work declaring the oneness of the Prophets through a vision of the words of the dying Imam Ḥusayn, who identifies his sufferings with those of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, John the Baptist, Jesus, the Bab, and Baha'u'llah. | |
| Suriy-i-Nush, Surah of Advice ( سورة النصح ), Arabic, 7310 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00031 |
| A lengthy work recounting the stories of the prophets of God and their rejection by the people and clergy of their day, and exhorting the people of this day not to reject 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' upon His appearance. | |
| Suriy-i-Sabr (=Lawh-i-Ayyub), Surah of Patience / Tablet of Job ( سورة الصبر ), Arabic, 7050 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00034 |
| Major work, written on the first day of Riḍvan as He was departing Baghdad, praising the Babis of the Nayriz upheaval of 1850 and in particular their leader, Siyyid Yaḥyay-i-Darabi (Vaḥid), recounting their sufferings and condemning their persecutors; describes the sufferings of the biblical Job, comparing them to those of the recipient of the tablet, who played a key role in supporting the defenders at Nayriz; commends fortitude and patience in the face of suffering; foretells the coming of 'the birds of darkness'; and proclaims the continuity of divine revelation. | |
| Tafsir-i-Hu, His Interpretation / Commentary ( تفسير هو ), Arabic, 6500 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00073 |
| An intricate commentary on the names and attributes of God, taking as point of departure a statement by the Bab which relates 'His sacred mirror and eternal light' to the name of God huwa ('He'), which has an inner and outer aspect signifying both the unity of opposites and the alchemical fire and water attained of old by the prophet Moses. | |
| Tafsir-i-Hurufat-i-Muqatta'ih = Lawḥ-i-Áyat-i-Núr, Commentary on the Disconnected Letters / Tablet of the Verse of Light ( لوح آية نور / تفسير الحروفات المقطعة ), Arabic, 8280 words, dated Middle and late Baghdad (March 1856–April 1863) | BH00020a |
| An extensive commentary on the famous 'verse of light' in the Qur'an (24:35) and on the origin and meaning of the enigmatic letters heading many of its surahs, which Baha'u'llah relates to different aspects of the person and revelation of the Bab, to the mystical science of letters and numbers, and to stages in the alchemical craft. | |
| Lawh-i-Ahmad (Arabic), Tablet of Ahmad ( لوح أحمد ), Arabic, 440 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) authorized transl. available | BH02022 |
| Brief words of consolation and encouragement to its recipient, affirming the prophetic station of the Bab, exhorting steadfastness, and assuring the resolution of difficulties and the removal of afflictions to the one who chants it. | |
| Lawh-i-Ahmad (Persian), Tablet of Ahmad ( لوح احمد ), Persian, 2510 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00249 |
| Sets forth the conditions of spiritual search, with purity of heart being foremost; compares His revelation to that of an ocean which yields up its pearls in proportion to the eagerness of the search; and proclaims that 'this fathomless and surging ocean is near, astonishingly near, unto you'. | |
| Lawh-i-Anta'l-Kafi, Long Healing Prayer / "Tablet of Thou the Sufficing" ( لوح أَنْتَ الكَافِي ), Arabic, 940 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) authorized transl. available | BH00870 |
| Prayer for healing, rhyming and with repeated refrain, invoking various names of God for the curing of disease and the alleviation of distress. | |
| Lawh-i-Fitnih, Tablet of the Test ( لوح الفتنة ), Arabic and Persian, 1500 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00637 |
| Foretells a coming period of tests and trials, which will encompass all created things and every atom of existence and lay violent hold on the peoples of the world. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Ḥaqq, Tabet of Reality / "truth" ( لوح الحق ), Arabic, 560 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH01547 |
| Announces to 'the followers of the True One' the appearance of the Spirit of Truth, round which circle all the Prophets of God, while sharply remonstrating the Babis for their rejection of Baha'u'llah. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Hawdaj (=Lawḥ-i-Ṣámṣún), Tablet of the Howdah / Tablet of Samson ( لوح الهودج / لوح سامسون ), Arabic, 780 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH01069 |
| Written upon Baha'u'llah's arrival on the shores of the Black Sea en route to Istanbul, announcing the fulfilment of what was foretold in the 'Tablet of the Holy Mariner' a short time before, and warning of an impending 'grievous and tormenting mischief ' that would serve as the 'divine touchstone' separating truth from error. | |
| Lawh-i-Nuqtih, Tablet of the Point / "dot" ( لوح نقطه ), Arabic, 410 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH02170 |
| Proclaims itself as occupying the station of the point, differentiating all that has been revealed from all eternity to all eternity, in the same way that the point differentiates letters and words. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Qiná', Tablet of the Veil / "mask" ( لوح قناع ), Arabic and Persian, 3480 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00151 |
| Sharply rebuts accusations, made by the leader of the Shaykhi school, of grammatical discrepancies in the writings of the Bab, asserting that divine revelation is not constrained by man-made rules, citing in support several examples from the Qur'an and challenging him with Baha'u'llah's own prophetic claim. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Sayyáḥ (=Suratu'l-Widad), Tablet of the Traveller / Surah of Vadad ( لوح سياح (وداد) ), Arabic, 1720 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00395 |
| Declares Baha'u'llah's messianic claim; urges the Babis to embrace it; relates a mystical journey to different groups of people who, though outwardly pious, were veiled in various ways from recognizing the truth; and foretells His further exile to the 'vale of Nabil', later interpreted as a reference to the city of 'Akka. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Tawḥíd, Tablet of Unity / "monotheism" ( لوح توحید ), Persian and Arabic, 1450 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00512 |
| Discourse on the transcendence of God, Whose signs have pervaded the entire creation and Who is known only through His Manifestations, Who appear from age to age and call the people to recognize His cause as one would recognize a friend: that is, by his own self and not by the garments he may be wearing on any given day. | |
| Mathnavi-yi-Mubarak, Blessed Verses ( مثنوى مبارك ), Persian, 4040 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00108 |
| Ecstatic poem in rhyming couplets, written during the journey to Istanbul and announcing the Day of God and the divine springtime but warning that it can only be perceived by those possessing a spiritual eye. | |
| Suriy-i-'Ibad, Surah of the Servants ( سورة العباد ), Arabic, 2520 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00248 |
| Declares the continuity of Baha'u'llah's prophetic claim with the 'chain of successive Revelations that hath linked the Manifestation of Adam with that of the Bab', relates the events of His banishment from Baghdad to Edirne, and delivers specific guidance to a number of followers named in the tablet. | |
| Súriy-i-Aṣḥáb ( = Lawḥ-i-Ḥabíb), Surah of the Companions / "beloved" ( سورة الأصحاب ), Arabic, 4960 words, dated Istanbul and early Edirne (April 1863–March 1866) | BH00076 |
| Proclamatory work playing a major role in the conversion of the followers of the Bab to the cause of Baha'u'llah, declaring His prophetic station to a number of receptive individuals while attesting that if it were revealed to humanity to an extent smaller than a needle's eye, it would cause every mountain to crumble into dust. | |
| Lawh-i-Bahá, Tablet of Glory ( لوح البهاء ), Arabic and Persian, 2190 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00287 |
| Identifies Himself and His sufferings with those of prophets past; compares Mirza Yaḥya to the biblical Balaam, who rejected Moses after having occupied an exalted station; and bids His own followers, the newly named 'people of Baha', to enter the 'ark of eternity' upon the 'crimson sea'. | |
| Lawh-i-Laylatu'l-Quds, Tablet of the Sacred Night - Adrianople ( لوح ليلة القدس ), Arabic and Persian, 850 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00970 |
| Calls on His followers to be closely united and to associate with their neighbours 'with faces joyous and beaming with light'. | |
| Lawh-i-Mubahilih ( لوح مباهله ), Arabic, 1580 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00457 |
| Praises the station of Quddús, one of the Bab's first disciples and an early martyr, and relates the circumstances of the public challenge issued by Baha'u'llah to Mirza Yaḥya to take place in the mosque of Sultan Salim, at which the latter failed to present himself, which sealed the irreparable breach that had arisen between them. | |
| Lawh-i-Rasul, Tablet to Rasul ( لوح الرسول ), Persian, 470 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH01865 |
| Identifies Himself, through His sufferings, with the prophets of the past and announces His intention to take leave of both friend and foe. | |
| Lawh-i-Ruh, Tablet of Spirit ( لوح الروح ), Arabic, 7220 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00032 |
| Refutes certain claims of Mirza Yaḥya; asserts the magnitude of Baha'u'llah's own station, whose full transformative power remains, out of wisdom, as yet undivulged; and foretells the ultimate triumph of His cause. | |
| Suratu'llah, Surah of God ( سورة الله ), Arabic, 970 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00845 |
| Declares the divinity of His station, rebukes the followers of the Bab for plotting against Him, and announces His temporary retirement from the community. | |
| Suriy-i-Amr, Surah of the Command ( سورة الأمر ), Arabic, 4760 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00084 |
| Major proclamatory work formalizing Baha'u'llah's claim to divine messengership, read aloud at His instruction to Mirza Yaḥya and written partly in the voice of God and partly in the voice of Baha'u'llah, describing the rivers of paradise and apostrophizing earth and heaven, the trees and clouds, the lands of 'Iraq and Rumelia, and the followers of the Bab. | |
| Suriy-i-Bayan, Surah of the Bayán / "statement" ( سورة البيان ), Arabic, 3580 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00144 |
| Charges the recipient to teach the Cause of God in a state of detachment from the world and enkindlement with the love of God, summons the Maid of Heaven to come to the aid of whoever does so, and instructs him to carry the message to specific people and regions in Iran. | |
| Suriy-i-Hajj I (Shiraz), Surah of Pilgrimage ( سورة الحج ), Arabic, 5550 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00058 |
| Prescribes the rite of pilgrimage to the House of the Bab in Shiraz, codified later in the Kitab-i-Aqdas as a sacred duty. | |
| Suriy-i-Hajj II (Baghdad), Surah of Pilgrimage ( سورة الحج ), Arabic, 5070 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00071 |
| Prescribes the rite of pilgrimage to the House of Baha'u'llah in Baghdad, codified later in the Kitab-i-Aqdas as a sacred duty. | |
| Súriy-i-Hijr, Surah of Separation ( سورة الهجر ), Arabic, words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH01774 |
| Announces His withdrawal from the community and His sorrow at the state of affairs that made this action necessary. | |
| Suriy-i-Muluk, Surah of the Kings ( سورة الملوك ), Arabic, 8150 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00021 |
| His most momentous proclamatory work, though not yet divulging the totality of His messianic claim, in which He counsels and chastises, in turn, the entire company of the kings of the earth, the kings of Christendom, the French Ambassador in Constantinople, the ministers of the Ottoman Sultan, the inhabitants of Istanbul, the Sultan himself, the Persian Ambassador to the Sultan, the people of Persia, the divines and wise men of Constantinople, and the philosophers of the world. | |
| Suriy-i-Qadir, Surah of the Almighty / "omnipotent" ( سورة القدير ), Arabic, 740 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH01132 |
| A meditation on the name of God 'the Omnipotent' and its pervasive influence in the world according to the capacities of things and, referring to the opposition of Mirza Yaḥya, calling the Babis and the manifestations of worldly power to recognize Baha'u'llah. | |
| Suriy-i-Zubur ( سورة الزبر ), Arabic, 1260 words, dated Middle Edirne (March 1866–September 1867) | BH00604 |
| Explains the circumstances of His withdrawal from the community, states that He has as a result hidden His reality behind the veils, and calls the recipient to proclaim and defend Baha'u'llah's cause both in person and in his writings, assuring him that divine confirmations will attend his efforts. | |
| Kitab-i-Badi', Wondrous Book, Persian, 84700 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00004 |
| Baha'u'llah's trenchant apologia of His claims, by far His longest single work, written in the voice of one of His supporters, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the truth through the eye of the heart and refuting seven specific accusations levelled by a certain follower of Mirza Yaḥya. The answers emphasize the importance of 'He Whom God shall make manifest' in the writings of the Bab, declare Baha'u'llah's claim to be the fulfilment of that promise, assert that the relationship between the Bab and Baha'u'llah is the same as that between John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, and warn the questioner of the wrath of God. | |
| Lawh-i-Abdu'r-Razzaq, Tablet to Abdu'l-Razzaq ( لوح عبد الرزاق ), Arabic and Persian, 5390 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00060 |
| Addresses some misconceptions of the Babis and answers questions concerning the origin of creation, the soul after death, and the absence of historical records prior to Adam. | |
| Lawh-i-Ashraf, Tablet of Ashraf / "the Most Noble" ( لوح اشرف ), Arabic, 1270 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00597 |
| A summons to the recognition of Baha'u'llah, naming the proofs of His cause as His own self, His revelation, and His words, and admonishing the Babis who had not yet embraced it. | |
| Lawh-i-Mawlud, Tablet of the Birthday / "newborn" ( لوح المولود ), Arabic, 820 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) authorized transl. available | BH01010 |
| Tablet in honour of the birthday of Baha'u'llah, celebrating 'the harvesting of the ages and the gathering up of past cycles' and announcing the dawning of the morn of divine revelation. | |
| Lawh-i-Napoleon I, Tablet to Napoleon ( اللوح الثاني الى نابليون الثالث ), Arabic and Persian, 750 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH01120 |
| Recounts the sufferings endured by Baha'u'llah and His followers; avows their innocence; reminds the Emperor of two pronouncements he had made on behalf of the oppressed and the helpless; and calls upon him to inquire into the condition of those who have been wronged, including Baha'u'llah and His fellow exiles. | |
| Lawh-i-Nasir, Tablet to Nasir / Nasr ( لوح نصير ), Persian and Arabic, 5960 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00049 |
| Affirms the ceaselessness of divine grace and guidance, which brings forth fruit provided the seed is cast upon fertile soil; asserts the continuity of His mission with those of Jesus, Muhammad, and the Bab; clarifies the position of Mirza Yaḥya as nominal figurehead; exposes the latter's attempt to take Baha'u'llah's life; and affirms that 'every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God'. | |
| Lawh-i-Quds 1, Holy Tablet ( لوح القدس ), Arabic and Persian, 2800 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00203 |
| A call to the recognition of Baha'u'llah, affirming the continuity of His mission with the Bab's, investigating the cause of the rejection of prophets past, and refuting the counter-claim of Mirza Yaḥya. | |
| Lawh-i-Salman I, Tablet to Sálmán ( لوح سلمان ), Persian and Arabic, 5230 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00066 |
| Laments the opposition of Mirza Yaḥya; contrasts the stations of belief and disbelief; considers and rejects various theories of the mystics concerning the relationship between God and creation; asserts that, the Godhead itself being unknowable, the means of access to the knowledge of God is through the channel of His prophets; and interprets a line of Rumi's Mathnavi to the effect that the light of truth is one but that, cast through the glass of different souls, it takes on different tints and colours, which is both the cause of the denial of the religion of God and the source of conflict upon earth. | |
| Lawh-i-Sultan, Tablet to the Sultan ( لوح السحاب ), Persian and Arabic, 6890 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00038a |
| Baha'u'llah's lengthiest tablet to any monarch, delivered in person to the Shah at the cost of the messenger's life, urging the Shah to judge His cause fairly; disavowing any designs on worldly power; detailing the injustices He and His followers had suffered over the course of successive banishments; calling the clergy to account for their role in His rejection; and, citing the rejection of Jesus and Muhammad by the people of their day, urging the Shah to consider the possibility of the appearance of a new Manifestation of God in this day. | |
| Lawh-i-Tibb, Tablet of Medicine ( لوح الطب ), Arabic and Persian, 650 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH01313 |
| Relates various items of medical and dietary advice—paraphrasing in part a chapter from Naṣif al-Yaziji's Majma'u'l-Baḥrayn, a popular literary work of the time—and concludes with a prayer for healing. | |
| Lawh-i-Tuqa, Tablet of Piety ( لوح التقي ), Arabic, 880 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00934 |
| Bids the people enter the 'crimson Ark', adorned with divine virtue; addresses the objections of those who reject the divine verses; and warns those who, like Mirza Yaḥya, denied the 'Most Great Announcement'. | |
| Lawh-i-Yusuf, Tablet to Joseph ( لوح يوسف ), Arabic and Persian, 2460 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00258 |
| Emphasizes the importance of detachment as prerequisite to the recognition of spiritual truth and explains the meaning of 'paradise', 'hellfire', 'resurrection', and similar terms. | |
| Ridvanu'l-'Adl, Garden of Justice ( رضوان العدل ), Arabic, 2910 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00195 |
| Extols the virtue of justice, assigning it a sacred origin and purpose in the world; calls upon the kings and rulers, the people of the world, and the Babis to be its exponents; asserts that its essence is embodied in the laws of God; and prophesies the day when the 'standard of oppression' will be rolled up and the 'banner of justice' will be unfurled throughout the earth. | |
| Ridvanu'l-Iqrar ( رضوان الاقرار ), Arabic, 2630 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00227 |
| Dwells on the state of those who have rejected the truth and contrasts it with the state of those who have recognized and believed. | |
| Suriy-i-A'rab, Surah of the Arabs ( سوره الأعراب ), Arabic, 1250 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00610 |
| Addresses words of praise and encouragement to the Arabs among His followers, inviting them to remember with gladness the years He spent amongst them in 'Iraq. | |
| Suriy-i-Ahzan, Surah of Sorrows ( سورة الأحزان ), Arabic, 3410 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00155 |
| Expatiates on the sorrows experienced by Baha'u'llah and the Bab, taking in part the form of a mystical conversation between the two. | |
| Suriy-i-Asma' (=Lawh-i-Ibn?), Arabic and Persian, 3990 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00112 |
| Responds to objections to His claims raised by some Babis, implores them not to be shut out from the truth by the veil of names, acknowledges the outward differences between sacred scriptures while asserting that this derives from the varying capacity of humanity, extols at length the revelation and the crucifixion of Jesus as having infused 'a fresh capacity into all created things', compares the Bab to John the Baptist and announces Himself to be the return of Christ, and declares that the purpose of His revelation, like Christ's, is to bestow eternal life. | |
| Suriy-i-Dhibh, Surah of Sacrifice ( سورة الذبح ), Arabic, 1620 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00434 |
| Exhorts the recipient to look into the truth of the Cause of God with his own eyes and declares that Baha'u'llah has been offered up as a sacrifice at the hands of the wicked at every moment for the past twenty years. | |
| Suriy-i-Dhikr, Surah of Remembrance ( سورة الذكر ), Arabic, 2160 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00297 |
| Speaking in the voice of the Bab, Baha'u'llah declares His mystical identity with the Bab (one of whose titles was 'the Remembrance of God') and the fulfilment of the Bab's revelation in Him and laments the state of the Babis in the extremity of their rejection of Baha'u'llah. | |
| Suriy-i-Fadl, Surah of Fadl ( سورة الفضل ), Arabic, 1920 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00343 |
| Exhorts the recipient to be bold in conveying Baha'u'llah's claim to the followers of the Bab and to sharply challenge those who have repudiated the former's claim, asking them to consider the infinite grace of God in revealing again the divine verses. | |
| Suriy-i-Fath, Surah of Fath ( سورة فتح ), Arabic, 1790 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00376 |
| Addresses an intimate early follower, expressing His weariness at the inane questions and vain objections of the uninformed, the defection of former believers, and the opposition of Mirza Yaḥya and declaring that He would rather die a thousand deaths than endure the calumny that the latter was spreading. | |
| Suriy-i-Ghusn, Tablet of the Branch ( سورة الغصن ), Arabic, 870 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) authorized transl. available | BH00939 |
| Announces the high station of Baha'u'llah's son 'Abdu'l-Baha, titled Ghuṣn-iA'ẓam ('the Greatest Branch'), foreshadowing His later appointment in the Kitab-i-'Ahd as successor to Baha'u'llah. | |
| Suriy-i-Ism, Surah of the Name ( سورة الاسم ), Arabic, 830 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00994 |
| Calls the recipient to cast all names and designations behind him and announce the joyful tidings; states that between God and the creatures there is a ladder with three steps: this world, the hereafter, and 'the Kingdom of Names'; calls the people to deliver their souls from 'the bondage of self '; invites the recipient to 'intone the verses of God', promising that the sweetness of their melody will cause 'the heart of every righteous man to throb'; and counsels the people to truthfulness, generosity, and purity of heart. | |
| Suriy-i-Ismuna'l-Mursil, Surah of "Our Name is the Messenger" ( سورة اسمنا المرسل ), Arabic, 1410 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00532 |
| A meditation on the name of God, 'the Sender', and its various present and future manifestations in the world, from the Messengers of God, to individuals such as couriers who may be unaware of their role in propagating the divine message, to the Babi and Baha'i kings of the future, to the newly designated 'people of Baha' — His own followers, upon whom lies the responsibility of delivering the message to others. | |
| Suriy-i-Javad, Surah of Javad ( سورة جواد ), Arabic, 510 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH01725 |
| Recalls the idol worshippers of ages past and condemns their blind imitation, equates their words and deeds with those of the Babis, and affirms that most of the people today are similarly worshipping false idols and that when they are gone it will be as if they had never existed, but that none of this will hinder the divine Sun from shining. | |
| Suriy-i-Khitab, Surah of Speech ( سورة الخطاب ), Arabic, 1470 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00503 |
| Praises the recipient for recognizing Baha'u'llah after failing to do so in an earlier meeting prior to His declaration, calls the Babis to recognize Baha'u'llah as the return of the Bab and their verses as the same in essence, and summons the recipient to teach the Cause of God through his utterance and through his pen, promising that through the power of this tablet, his words will have a penetrating influence. | |
| Suriy-i-Ma'ani, Surah of Meanings ( سورة المعاني ), Arabic, 890 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00922 |
| Praises God and His Messengers, who receive divine inspiration in various ways; declares as a matter of principle that the transcendent Godhead is not the immediate cause of this inspiration; and extols the transformative power of the word of God at the time of its revelation. | |
| Suriy-i-Qahir, Surah of the Almighty ( سورة القهير ), Arabic, 3810 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00127 |
| Affirms Baha'u'llah's mystical identity with the Bab; answers a number of specific objections to His claims advanced by followers of the Bab; and laments His persecution at their hands, while reserving His real fears for 'Him who will come after Me', a statement that was reiterated in the Súriy-i-Haykal. | |
| Suriy-i-Qalam, Surah of the Pen ( سورة القلم ), Arabic, 1970 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) authorized transl. available | BH00334 |
| A celebration of the festival of Riḍvan, taking the form of a series of apostrophes to His Pen, the denizens of earth and heaven, the concourse of monks, and the Maid of Heaven. | |
| Suriy-i-Qamis, Surah of the Shirt ( سورة القميص ), Arabic, 5750 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00052 |
| Proclamatory tablet taking in part the form of a conversation between the Bab and Baha'u'llah; announcing the return of the Bab in the person of Baha'u'llah; reproaching the Babis for their denial; and directing one of the many named recipients to place the tablet, like the shirt of the biblical Joseph, upon his face. | |
| Suriy-i-Sultan, Surah of the Sultan ( سورة السلطان ), Arabic, 5370 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00061 |
| Addresses individually words of praise and encouragement to a number of followers in the town of Sulṭan-Ábad and addresses parenthetically Mirza Yaḥya, upbraiding him for his opposition and urging him to repent, while assuring him that Baha'u'llah holds no hatred in His heart for him. | |
| Suriy-i-Vafa (=Lawh-i-Vafa), Surah of Vafá / "Loyalty" ( سورة الوفا ), Arabic and Persian, 1870 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) authorized transl. available | BH00354 |
| Exhorts the recipient to be the essence of faithfulness; asserts Baha'u'llah's mystical identity with the Bab; answers questions about 'the return', the worlds of God, the ordinances of God, and paradise; and confirms that, as predicted during the time of His departure from 'Iraq, the 'birds of darkness' have begun to stir. | |
| Suriy-i-Ziyarih, Surah of Visitation ( سورة الزيارة ), Arabic, 2280 words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH00280 |
| Visitation tablet for Mulla Ḥusayn, who was the first to embrace the cause of the Bab and was one of its early martyrs and who is implicitly related in the tablet to Baha'u'llah (whose given name was also Ḥusayn) and through Him to the persecution and suffering of Abel, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Imam Ḥusayn, and the Bab. | |
| Súriy-i-Ẓuhúr, Surah of Revelation ( سورة الظهور ), Arabic, words, dated Late Edirne (September 1867–August 1868) | BH01761 |
| Declares, at a time when He is beset on all sides, that His revelation is the testimony of God that separates truth from error; asserts that what the people recognize of His cause is but the robe and cloak wherewith He attires Himself; and admonishes the people for failing to recognize Him upon His return, after changing His garb and departing for but a little while from their midst. | |
| Kitab-i-Aqdas, The Most Holy Book ( کتاب اقدس ), Arabic, 10520 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00001 |
| The 'mother book' of the Baha'i Dispensation, announcing to the kings of the earth the promulgation of the 'Most Great Law'; formally ordaining the institution of the House of Justice; prescribing the obligatory prayers; designating the time and period of fasting; formulating laws surrounding marriage and inheritance; ordaining the institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (houses of worship); establishing the Nineteen Day Feasts; abolishing the institution of priesthood; and specifying punishments for murder, arson, adultery, and theft. Apart from these laws, He reminds his followers of the twin duties of recognition and obedience; exhorts them to fellowship with the adherents of all religions; warns them to guard against fanaticism, sedition, pride, dispute, and contention; enjoins on them cleanliness, truthfulness, chastity, hospitality, fidelity, courtesy, forbearance, justice, and fairness; and counsels them to be 'even as the fingers of one hand and the limbs of one body'. | |
| Lawḥ-i-Aḥbáb, Tablet of the Friends ( لوح الأحباب ), Arabic, 3770 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH00130 |
| Addresses various followers with words of advice and encouragement, calling them to be united, to be detached from the things of the world, and to promote the cause of God, and lamenting the Babis and others who have rejected His message. | |
| Lawh-i-Aqdas, Tablet to the Christians / "Tablet of the Most Holy" ( اللوح الأقدس ), Arabic, 1470 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00505 |
| Announces to an unnamed Christian Baha'u'llah's revelation as the fulfilment of Christian prophetic expectations, reproaches the Christians in general and the clergy in particular for failing to recognize it, asks them to consider how Christ was similarly rejected by the people of His day, and concludes with a series of beatitudes reminiscent of the Sermon on the Mount. | |
| Lawh-i-Baqa', Tablet of Eternity ( لوح البقاء ), Arabic, 410 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH02169 |
| Brief tablet assuring the recipient of a lofty station in the world to come and counselling him to detachment and service to the Cause of God. | |
| Lawh-i-Basitatu'l-Haqiqah, Tablet of Simple Reality ( لوح بسيط الحقيقة ), Arabic and Persian, 1700 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH00409 |
| Elucidates a statement by the philosopher Mulla Ṣadra that 'the uncompounded reality is all things', offers a middle position between the doctrines of 'the oneness of being' and 'the oneness of appearances', observes that both positions can be upheld with reference to different sacred scriptures, and suggests that nothing is to be gained from disputation in such matters. | |
| Lawh-i-Hirtik, Tablet to David Hardegg ("Hirtik") ( لوح هرتيك ), Arabic and Persian, 690 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH01217 |
| Briefly addresses the head of the German Templers of Haifa, calling him to consider with insight the ascendancy and sweetness of the word of God, the mysterious processes by which the abased become exalted and the exalted abased, and the lessons of the past; employs the science of letters and their numerical equivalents in explaining the significance of certain names; and affirms that He and the recipient are moved by the same divine spirit. | |
| Lawh-i-Husayn, Tablet to Husayn ( لوح حسين ), Persian, 780 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH01068 |
| Calls the recipient to commune intimately with God; warns that whatever is concealed in people's inmost hearts will be revealed in this day; compares all creation to mirrors which reflect the light of the Sun of Truth to the extent that they turn to it; proclaims the purifying and healing agency of the love of God; and observes that the prophets of God would never have subjected themselves to such persecutions if human life ended with this physical one. | |
| Lawh-i-Malik-i-Rus, Tablet to Czar Alexander II ( لوح ملك الروس ), Arabic, 800 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH01042 |
| States cryptically that Baha'u'llah has answered a secret wish of the Czar; praises him for offering, through one of his ministers, aid to Baha'u'llah while in the dungeon of Tehran; calls on him to arise to become a champion of the Cause of God; declares that Baha'u'llah is the one 'Whom the tongue of Isaiah hath extolled, the One with Whose name both the Torah and the Evangel were adorned'; and warns of the ephemerality of earthly possessions. | |
| Lawh-i-Malikah Victoria, Tablet to Queen Victoria ( لوح الملكة فيكتوريا ), Arabic, 1150 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00662 |
| Announces the fulfilment of 'all that hath been mentioned in the Gospel'; praises the Queen for forbidding the trading in slaves and for entrusting 'the reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives of the people'; calls the elected representatives of the people in every land to take counsel together for the sake of mankind; ordains that 'the mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith'; and instructs the kings of the earth to cease burdening their subjects with their own wanton expenditures, to be reconciled among themselves, and to enforce a common peace by joining forces against any who would take up arms against another. | |
| Lawh-i-Napoleon II, Second Tablet to Napoleon ( اللوح الثاني الى نابليون الثالث ), Arabic, 2460 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00259 |
| Summons the Emperor to 'tell the priests to ring the bells no longer', announcing that He is the one promised by Christ; bids the monks to come forth from their seclusion; prophesies that his 'kingdom shall be thrown into confusion' and his empire 'shall pass from [his] hands' for 'casting behind [his] back' the first epistle from Baha'u'llah; recounts the sufferings of Baha'u'llah in His successive exiles; counsels the Emperor to watch over his subjects with justice; and instructs him, and the people of the world in general, to teach the Cause of God through the power of utterance, to be trustworthy, and to conceal the sins of others. | |
| Lawh-i-Pap, Tablet to the Pope (Pius IX) ( لوح البابا ), Arabic, 1900 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00347 |
| Announces the return of Christ, 'come down from Heaven even as He came down from it the first time'; warns of the 'veils of human learning' that threaten to obscure this truth; calls on the monks to come forth from their seclusion; summons the people of all religions to hasten unto the most great Ocean; asserts the power of His revelation to overcome all opposition; bids the Pope to abandon his worldly riches and adornments; and proclaims to the Christians that John the Baptist has reappeared in the person of the Bab while the promised Father foretold by Isaiah and the Comforter promised by Christ has appeared in the person of Baha'u'llah. | |
| Lawh-i-Pisar-'Amm, Tablet to the Cousin ( لوح پسر عم ), Persian and Arabic, 1170 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH00647 |
| Praises the recipient, a paternal cousin, for his faithfulness; remonstrates with another relative for remaining distant, asking him whether it is better to die in his bed or in the path of God; and calls the people of a certain village not to grieve over their suffering and not to engage in rebellion and revolt but to eschew dissension and strife and to be characterized with divine attributes. | |
| Lawh-i-Ra'is / Suriy-i-Ra'is, Surah to the Prime Minister / "president" ( سورة الرئيس ), Persian, 2370 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00269 |
| Baha'u'llah's second tablet to the Ottoman Prime Minister 'Áli Pasha, denouncing him for his further act of cruelty in imprisoning Baha'u'llah and His followers in the citadel of 'Akka, warning him of the ephemerality of his worldly power, relating the episode of a puppet show from Baha'u'llah's own childhood which convinced Him of the fleeting nature of the trappings of the world, asking 'Áli Pasha to comport himself with reason and justice, and reiterating a request for a brief audience with the Sultan. | |
| Lawh-i-Ru'ya, Tablet of the Vision ( لوح الرؤيا ), Arabic, 640 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH01325 |
| Recounts, in celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the Bab, a joyful vision of the Maid of Heaven as personification of the Holy Spirit, who embraces Him and addresses Him ecstatically and who bids Him leave 'Akka and hasten to His 'other dominions'. | |
| Lawh-i-Sahab, Tablet of the Cloud ( لوح السحاب ), Arabic, 1060 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH00739 |
| Proclamatory tablet mentioning Baha'u'llah's recent summons to Naṣiru'd-Din Shah and Napoleon III, extolling the prophetic significance of the Holy Land and His banishment there, and exhorting His followers to proclaim His message with wisdom, deeds, and upright conduct, describing them as those who would pass through a valley of pure gold 'aloof as a cloud'. | |
| Lawh-i-Salman II, Tablet to Sálmán ( لوح سلمان ), Persian and Arabic, 610 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH01403 |
| Emphasizes the fleeting nature of this world, that those who remain occupied with it are heedless of this truth, and that one of the signs of the maturity of the world is that none will be found to bear the burden of kingship and its earthly cares. | |
| Lawh-i-Shaykh Fani, Tablet to Shaykh Fání ( لوح شيخ فانى ), Persian and Arabic, 480 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH01850 |
| Stresses the importance of distinguishing the transcendent reality of God from the signs of God in the world, taking as an example the subject of mystical selfsurrender (fana') and eternal union (baqa') with God, which should be understood as the act of complete renunciation of worldly desire and not the elevation of the individual will to that of God. | |
| Qad Ihtaraqa'l-Mukhlisun, The Fire Tablet / "the sincere are consumed in the fire" ( لوح الاحتراق / قَدْ احْتَرَقَ المُخْلِصُوْنَ ), Arabic, 1120 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00687 |
| Written in rhythmic prose and taking the form of a conversation between Baha'u'llah and God in verses reminiscent of the biblical Book of Job, Baha'u'llah calls to God in His suffering and in God's apparent absence and receives God's answer as to the wisdom of this suffering. | |
| Salat-i-Mayyit, Prayer for the Dead / "bereavement prayer" ( صلاة الميت ), Arabic, 110 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH09085 |
| Prayer with six verses to be repeated nineteen times each, recited at graveside, and stated in the Kitab-i-Aqdas to constitute the only exception to the general prohibition on congregational prayer. | |
| Suriy-i-Amin, Surah of the Trustee ( سورة الأمين ), Arabic, 640 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) | BH01343 |
| Praises the recipient for his steadfastness; calls the followers of the Qur'an to hear 'the voice of the Crier, Who cried out between heaven and earth'; relates the fallen state of Fu'ad Pasha upon his death; and extols the ultimate sacrifice of the youthful Badi', who delivered Baha'u'llah's epistle to Naṣiru'd-Din Shah. | |
| Suriy-i-Fu'ad (=Lawh-i-Fu'ad), Surah of Fu'ad ( سورة فؤاد ), Arabic, 580 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH01494 |
| Details the divine justice that was meted out to the recently deceased Ottoman Prime Minister in consequence of his abuses of power and foretells the imminent downfall of his colleague, 'Áli Pasha, as well as the overthrow of the Sultan himself. | |
| Suriy-i-Haykal, Surih of the Temple ( سورة الهيكل ), Arabic, 20670 words, dated Early ‘Akká (1868–1873) authorized transl. available | BH00007 |
| The centrepiece of His proclamatory works, originally written in Edirne and recast in 'Akka, in which Baha'u'llah as the embodiment of the promised new Temple is called forth by the Holy Spirit and symbolically raised up limb by limb, with the mission of each part being assigned and sent forth into the world in fulfilment of the prophecy of the Old Testament (Zechariah 6:12). In its final form, it includes His epistles to Pope Pius IX, Emperor Napoleon III, Czar Alexander II, Queen Victoria, and Naṣiru'd-Din Shah. | |
| Bishárát (=Lawḥ-i-Nidá), Glad-Tidings / Good News ( البِشارات ), Persian and Arabic, 1320 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00568 |
| Proclaims fifteen 'glad-tidings': the abolition of holy war, consorting in fellowship with the followers of all religions, the adoption of a universal auxiliary language, the obligation to faithfully serve just monarchs, obedience to government, the establishment of the 'Lesser Peace', freedom in choice of clothing and cut of beard, abandonment of monasticism, forbidding the confession of sins, abrogating a law of the Bab regarding the destruction of books, exalting useful work to the status of worship and forbidding mendicancy, entrusting the affairs of the people to the House of Justice, abrogating the requirement of making special journeys to visit the graves of the dead, and commending a combination of republicanism and monarchy in the governance of human affairs. | |
| Ishraqat, Splendours / Illuminations ( لوح اشراقات ), Arabic and Persian, 5740 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00053 |
| Explains the meaning of the 'most great infallibility' and the nature of the authority of the Manifestations of God, proclaims the fulfilment of prophetic expectations derived from various passages in the Qur'an, recalls a vision of the personified virtue of trustworthiness, and proclaims nine 'splendours': religion as source of order in the world; the promotion of the 'Lesser Peace' by the rulers of the world; the commandments of God as source of life to the world; the importance of praiseworthy deeds and upright character; the conferral of government positions based on merit; union and concord among all people, which can be achieved by establishing a universal language; the importance of parenthood and the education of children; entrusting administrative affairs to the trustees of the House of Justice; and religion as the most potent instrument for establishing unity in the world. | |
| Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih, Words of Paradise ( كلمات فردوسيه ), Persian and Arabic, 4020 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00111 |
| Proclaims eleven 'leaves of paradise': the fear of God, the importance of religion, the golden rule, that rulers should possess good character and act in justice (in contrast to Muḥammad Shah, whose deeds in particular are denounced), reward and punishment as the basis of order in the world, justice, the unity of mankind, the education of children, moderation, renouncing asceticism and monasticism, and forbidding religious strife and dissension | |
| Kitab-i-'Ahd, Book of the Covenant ( كتاب عهدى ), Persian, 920 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00003 |
| Baha'u'llah's last will and testament, appointing 'Abdu'l-Baha as His successor by summoning 'the Aghṣan, the Afnan and My Kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch'; categorically forbidding contention and conflict; and cautioning lest the means of order and unity that He brought into the world should become the cause of confusion and discord. | |
| Lawh-i-Abdu'l-Vahhab, Tablet of Abdu'l-Wahab ( لوح عبدالوهاب ), Persian and Arabic, 1630 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00433 |
| Addresses a question on the soul and its continuance after death, alludes to the state of the souls in the next world while declaring that it cannot be adequately described, and declares that the whole truth of the matter has remained concealed for the sake of the protection of the human race. | |
| Lawh-i-Amvaj, Tablet of the Waves ( لوح امواج ), Persian and Arabic, 290 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH03062 |
| Brief tablet declaring that the ocean of utterance has surged with four 'waves': shining the light of unity over the whole earth, being clothed in the garment of trustworthiness, establishing the transcendence of God, and casting away the causes of abasement and embracing that which leads to exaltation. | |
| Lawh-i-Bismillih, Tablet of "In God's Name" ( لوح بسمله ), Persian, 1410 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00528 |
| Emphasizes the importance of the independent investigation of spiritual reality upon attainment of maturity, which entails the understanding of why some choose the path of faith and others that of denial, why each religious sect believes it is in sole possession of the truth, and why the Prophets of the past were all rejected in their day. | |
| Lawh-i-Burhan (= Lawh-i-Raqsha?), Tablet of Proof ( لوح البرهان / لوح الرقشاء ), Arabic, 1960 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00336 |
| Condemns in fiery language two members of the Shiite clergy for their roles in the martyrdom of two prominent Baha'is, sets forth the spiritual prerequisites of the truly learned, and summons them to investigate the truth of Baha'u'llah's cause by perusing His writings. | |
| Lawh-i-Dunyá, Tablet of the World ( لوح دنيا ), Persian and Arabic, 2590 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00238 |
| Reiterates many of Baha'u'llah's central social teachings, such as renunciation of self and promoting the good of the entire human race; achieving the betterment of the world 'through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct'; consorting with all religions in friendliness and fellowship; avoiding contention and conflict; observing courtesy; promoting the 'Lesser Peace'; adopting a universal language; championing the universal education of children; and recognizing the importance of agriculture. | |
| Lawh-i-Haft Pursish, Tablet of the Seven Questions ( لوح هفت پرسش ), Arabic and Persian, 990 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00827 |
| Briefly addresses a follower of Zoroastrian background, answering seven questions regarding the problem of conflicting religious claims, declaring that His religion is 'the religion of forbearance' and that it 'embraceth all faiths and all religions', and affirming 'the reality of Paradise and Hell, for reward and punishment require their existence'. | |
| Lawh-i-Hikmat, Tablet of Wisdom ( لوح الحكمة ), Arabic, 2680 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00223 |
| Calls on the people to observe a number of spiritual maxims; answers a question regarding the origin of creation; describes the Word of God as 'the Cause which hath preceded the contingent world'; identifies nature with the operation of the Divine Will; mentions in positive terms some ancient philosophers, including Empedocles, Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Balinus, and Hermes; states that the essence and fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the Prophets; and asserts that a true philosopher would never deny God and His evidences. | |
| Lawh-i-Ibn-i-Dhi'b, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf ( لوح ابن ذئب ), Persian and Arabic, 28200 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00005 |
| His last major work and His third longest, calling on its recipient, a leading mujtahid, to repent of his role in the oppression and massacre of the Baha'is, quoting some of the most celebrated passages from His own writings, and adducing proofs establishing the validity of His cause. | |
| Lawh-i-Ittihad, Tablet of Unity ( لوح اتحاد ), Persian and Arabic, 1530 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00472 |
| Elucidates the subject of unity in different aspects: unity of religion, unity in speech, unity of deeds, unity in rank and station, unity of souls, and unity in material possessions. | |
| Lawh-i-Jamal-i-Burujirdi, Tablet to Jamal ( لوح جمال ), Persian, 810 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH01034 |
| Advises the recipient to practice love, humility, and detachment when engaging people with different views since souls are created in different states of understanding; gives an example of two valid yet opposing positions regarding the relationship of the Manifestations to God; and states that 'the whole duty of man in this Day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth forth for him', advising that the 'largeness or smallness of the receptacle' should not be considered. | |
| Lawh-i-Karim, Tablet to Karim ( لوح كريم ), Persian and Arabic, 1470 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00501 |
| States that, while some are able to recognize the truth the moment they encounter it, most stand in need of a teacher; explains that some can be taught with words, others by deeds and actions, and still others by the example of a saintly character; emphasizes the importance of the latter; asserts that the purpose of His revelation is not to enforce outward ordinances but to enable people to manifest divine perfections and to achieve that which their minds can readily embrace; and condemns some of the fanciful theories about the Promised One held by certain Muslims. | |
| Lawh-i-Manikchi Sahib, Tablet to Manikchi Sahib ( لوح مانكچي صاحب ), Persian, 1110 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00698 |
| Addresses a number of theological questions by implying that the answers lie in the realm of action, in the process elucidating several central Baha'i teachings: that the Manifestations should be regarded as 'divine physicians' prescribing the remedy from age to age in accordance with the disease, that the unity of mankind is the remedy for the ills of today, that one should be 'anxiously concerned with the needs of the age' in which one lives and centre one's deliberations 'on its exigencies and requirements', and that words should be matched with deeds and that both should be motivated by purity of intention. | |
| Lawh-i-Maqsud ( لوح مقصود ), Persian and Arabic, 3650 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00140 |
| Relates various teachings as prerequisites to world peace: universal education; regarding one another as 'the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch'; reward and punishment as pillars of world stability; rulers acting with justice and wisdom; the gathering of the nations to lay the foundations of the 'Lesser Peace'; the adoption of a universal language and script; affirming that 'the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens'; not allowing religion to become the source of disunity; taking counsel together in all matters; promoting useful branches of knowledge; exercising moderation in all things; inculcating tolerance and righteousness; and having due regard for the power of human utterance, in particular the Word of God, which is the 'master key for the whole world'. | |
| Lawh-i-Raqsha, Tablet to Raqshá' ( لوح الرقشاء ), Arabic, 890 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00921 |
| Details the divine justice and wrath that was visited upon the two individuals mentioned in the Lawḥ-i-Burhan and offers remembrance and praise for several of His followers. | |
| Súriy-i-Dhabíḥ (= Lawḥ-i-Dhabiḥ), Tablet to Dhabíḥ / Zabih ( سوره ذبيح ), Persian and Arabic, 1450 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00513 |
| Summons the Baha'is to upright conduct, obedience to worldly authority, and high moral character and warns that the greatest harm that can be inflicted upon Baha'u'llah's Cause is not His imprisonment and persecution but the misdeeds of those who claim to be His followers. | |
| Tafṣír-i-Súriy-i-Va’sh-Shams, Commentary on the Surih of the Sun ( تفسير سورة والشمس ), Arabic, 2340 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH00271 |
| Gives a detailed interpretation of a short surah of the Qur'an, relates several symbolic meanings of the word 'sun', and tells of the inexhaustible meanings of the Word of God, which are disclosed according to the capacity of the hearers and which must be understood according to both their outward and inward meanings. | |
| Tajalliyat, Effulgences / Revelations ( لوح تجليات ), Arabic and Persian, 1140 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00668 |
| Emphasizes the importance of belief in the Divine Manifestation and proclaims four 'effulgences': the knowledge of God and recognition of His Prophet, steadfastness in the Cause of God, acquiring useful knowledge, and refuting accusations that Baha'u'llah had claimed the station of the Godhead. | |
| Tarazat, Ornaments ( لوح طرازات ), Persian and Arabic, 2100 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) authorized transl. available | BH00308 |
| Proclaims six 'ornaments': knowledge of self and acquiring a useful profession, fellowship with all religions, possessing a good character, truthfulness and trustworthiness, preserving the station of craftsmanship, and the importance of acquiring knowledge and of fairness in newspaper reporting. | |
| Ziyarat-Namih, Tablet of Visitation ( وح الزيارة ), Arabic, 380 words, dated Middle and late ‘Akká (1873–1892) | BH02307 |
| Prayer of visitation compiled by Nabil Zarandi after the passing of Baha'u'llah and often recited in His Shrine. | |
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