Jalíl-i-Khú'í

The Tablet of Ishráqát* was addressed to Jalíl-i-Khú'í, a coppersmith who lived in the province of Ádhirbáyján and was a well-known believer. It was revealed in answer to his questions, particularly those on the subject of supreme infallibility. He had the inestimable privilege of attaining the presence of Bahá'u'lláh, and became the recipient of many bounties from Him.

But Jalíl deprived himself of all the blessings which were showered on him, and perished spiritually. After the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, he violated the Covenant and joined hands with Muhammad-'Alí,† the Arch-breaker of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. He was influenced by Jamál-i-Burújirdí, who was foremost among the Covenant-breakers in Persia and had the ambition of becoming the undisputed leader of the community in that country. We have already given a brief account of his infamous career, his swift downfall and eventual extinction.‡ About four years after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, Jamal went to Ádhirbáyján, appointed Jalíl as his agent in the area and urged him to meet the believers secretly and sow the seeds of Covenant-breaking among them. Jalíl was further encouraged when

In the meantime the Master sent Ibn-i-Abhar, one of the Hands of the Cause, to the area to assist the believers to remain steadfast in the Covenant. Jalíl failed to make appreciable headway in his subversive activities; the believers in Ádhirbáyján stood firm, rallied around 'Abdu'l-Bahá and defended the Cause of God heroically from the onslaught of the unfaithful.

In AH 1315 (AD 1897-8) 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed a lengthy Tablet known as the Lawh-i-Hizár Baytí (Tablet of One Thousand Verses) to Jalíl. In this celebrated Tablet He showers upon him much loving-kindness, exhorts him to faithfulness in the Cause, explains in detail the authenticity of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, sets forth convincing proofs in support of His argument and provides one of the most illuminating insights into the subject of the Covenant as a whole. We have referred to this Tablet and discussed an important subject contained in it in a previous volume.* Writing at a time of great agitation and danger in the Holy Land and wishing not to add fuel to the fire already lit by the Covenant-breakers, which threatened to engulf the community of the believers, the Master sent a trusted servant of the Cause, Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarghání, to Tabríz, the capital of Ádhirbáyján, with instructions to read aloud the full contents of the Tablet to Jalíl, but not to hand him a copy. Jalíl heard this highly enlightening Tablet in full but, alas, the lust of leadership had blinded his eyes and stopped his ears. He later witnessed the futility of his efforts and died in ignominy.

The Tablet of Ishráqát revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in his honour contains some of the choicest fruits of His Revelation. Towards the end of the Tablet Bahá'u'lláh outlines some of His basic teachings and principles under nine headings, each one designated as an 'Ishráq' (Splendour). The first few paragraphs of this Tablet are revealed in a language of mystery, the unravelling of which depends partly upon a deep understanding of Islámic theology and its terminology and of the Arabic language, and

* see vol. 1, p. 127n.

Bahá'u'lláh Addresses the People of the Bayán

In the Tablet of Ishráqát Bahá'u'lláh refers to the Báb as the 'Point', the 'Herald of His Name and the Harbinger of His Great Revelation'. He affirms that God ordained the Báb 'to be an ocean of light for the sincere' and 'a flame of fire to the froward' among the people.

The advent of every Manifestation of God brings about the same situation. His coming causes humanity to be divided into believers and unbelievers. This is similar to the holding of a school examination. When the students enter into the examination hall, they all have equal status, but as they walk out the division has already taken place as some have passed the examination while others have failed. Similarly the appearance of the Manifestation of God is the harbinger of universal testing. Before His appearance all humanity is placed on the same plane, but as soon as the Manifestation of God reveals Himself, some are elevated to a higher plane by embracing His Cause while others are left behind.

When the Báb appeared He announced the glad-tidings of the coming of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest': Bahá'u'lláh. He prepared His followers for His coming and made of them a new creation worthy to recognize the Supreme Manifestation of God. But when Bahá'u'lláh revealed Himself to humanity in general and to the followers of the Báb in particular, the scene was set for yet another universal test of faith. With the unveiling of Bahá'u'lláh's station, the Bábí community became divided; most of the followers of the Báb embraced His Cause while a small number deprived themselves of His Faith. The Revelation

This is the Day that God hath ordained to be a blessing unto the righteous, a retribution for the wicked, a bounty for the faithful and a fury of His wrath for the faithless and the froward. Verily He hath been made manifest, invested by God with invincible sovereignty. He hath revealed that wherewith naught on the earth or in the heavens can compare.²

Fear ye God and abandon vain imaginings to the begetters thereof and leave superstitions to the devisers thereof and misgivings to the breeders thereof. Advance ye then with radiant faces and stainless hearts towards the horizon above which the Day-Star of certitude shineth resplendent at the bidding of God, the Lord of Revelations.³

3. ibid. p. 105.

Jalíl, for whom the Tablet of Ishráqát was revealed, had asked Bahá'u'lláh to explain for him the meaning of the 'Most Great Infallibility'. In response Bahá'u'lláh reveals these thought-provoking words:

Thou hast asked this Wronged One to remove for thee its veils and coverings, to elucidate its mystery and character, its state and position, its excellence, sublimity and exaltation. By the life of God! Were We to unveil the pearls of testimony which lie hid within the shells of the ocean of knowledge and assurance or to let the beauties of divine mystery which are hidden within the chambers of utterance in the Paradise of true understanding, step out of their habitation, then from every direction violent commotion would arise among the leaders of religion and thou wouldst witness the people of God held fast in the teeth of such wolves as have denied God both in the beginning and in the end...Verily the birds abiding within the domains of My Kingdom and the doves dwelling in the rose-garden of My wisdom utter such melodies and warblings as are inscrutable to all but God, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven; and were these melodies to be revealed even to an extent smaller than a needle's eye, the people of tyranny would utter such calumnies as none among former generations hath ever uttered, and would commit such deeds as no one in past ages and centuries hath ever committed.⁴

Know thou that the term 'Infallibility' hath numerous

meanings and divers stations. In one sense it is applicable to the One Whom God hath made immune from error. Similarly it is applied to every soul whom God hath guarded against sin, transgression, rebellion, impiety, disbelief and the like. However, the Most Great Infallibility is confined to the One Whose station is immeasurably exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is sanctified from errors and omissions. Indeed He is a Light which is not followed by darkness and a Truth not overtaken by error. Were He to pronounce water to be wine or heaven to be earth or light to be fire, He speaketh the truth and no doubt would there be about it; and unto no one is given the right to question His authority or to say why or wherefore.⁵

Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl,* the great Bahá'í scholar, has described an interesting incident which took place when he was residing in Cairo, an incident which sheds further light upon the above subject. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl emerged in circles of learning and erudition in Cairo as the foremost authority on religious history and teachings. A great many professors and students of the famous Al-Azhar University, as well as many divines and men of culture, crowded into his presence and sat at his feet to partake of his vast knowledge and insight into spiritual matters. This is the story as he himself recounts:

When the Protestant Evangelical Society published the book Maqálih-Fí-Al-Islám (Treatise on Islám), certain of the religious leaders (Muslims) of these parts, such as the erudite Shaykh Badru'd-Dín Al Ghazzí...and others from the fields of Islámic jurisprudence and divinity, suggested to this servant that it would be appropriate, in view of the extent of knowledge of the holy books of ancient faiths which God, exalted be His Glory, has vouchsafed unto him...that he should write an adequate and satisfactory reply to the aforementioned 'treatise' and expose its errors of fact and its historical calumnies so that the weak ones amongst the people might not be misled by its inaccuracies, and doubt might not be implanted in their minds.

To this request I replied: 'Please let me be excused; for there are difficulties in this path which are very hard to overcome. For many years, indeed centuries, the ears of the people of Islám have become accustomed to hearing 'tawdry speech',† and their minds have been nourished on the superficialities of

† Refers to Qur'án 6:112. (A.T.)

literalism. Now if the veil be lifted off the true meaning of all the Qur'ánic allusions, and thus all the objections of those who promote doubts among people are cleared away (such as the objections of the 'treatise'), then these very same people who are Muslims in name will rise up in enmity and engage in vehement opposition. They would be content to see the objections and doubts raised by these people not removed from the Qur'án, but retained for ever. They would rather see the standard of the people of Islám be trampled upon by the misguided, than allow that through the emanations of the Supreme Pen (of Bahá'u'lláh) the 'maids' of true meaning step forth out of their 'cloistered mansions'* of the divine verses...so that all the objections be answered and indeed all the thick clouds of criticism and cavilling be dispelled and made to disappear.⁶

Some Answered Questions

They have rejected the bounty of God and His proofs and have repudiated the testimony of God and His signs. They have gone astray and have caused the people to go astray, yet perceive it not. They worship vain imaginings but know it not. They have taken idle fancies for their lords and have neglected God, yet understand not. They have abandoned the most great Ocean and are hastening towards the pool, but comprehend not. They follow their own idle fancies while turning aside from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.⁷

Quoting from a Tablet He had revealed previously,* Bahá'u'lláh in the Tablet of Ishráqát enumerates some of the Islámic prophecies concerning the advent of the Day of God. He employs a dialogue between the voice of Truth and the voice of those who are bereft of true understanding and have denied His Cause. There are many passages such as these in this Tablet:

'Have the verses been sent down?' Say 'Yea, by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens!...And they say: 'Hath the Catastrophe come to pass?' Say: 'Yea, by the Lord of Lords!' 'Is the Resurrection come?' 'Nay, more; He Who is the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with the Kingdom of His signs.' 'Seest thou men laid low?' 'Yea, by my Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious!' 'Have the tree-stumps been uprooted?' 'Yea, more; the mountains have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of attributes!' They say: 'Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?' Say: 'The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God and doubtest.' They say: 'We see not the Balance.' Say: 'Surely, by my Lord, the God of Mercy! None can see it except

such as are endued with insight.' They say: 'Have the stars fallen?' Say: 'Yea, when He Who is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the Land of Mystery. Take heed, ye who are endued with discernment!' ⁸

To appreciate the inner meanings of the prophecies quoted in this Tablet referring to the coming of the Lord, one needs to study the Kitáb-i-Íqán. This is the Book in which the mysteries hidden in the heavenly books of past religions are explained and the significance of the prophecies contained in them revealed. Before the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Íqán the purpose and meaning of the words were concealed. With the coming of Bahá'u'lláh the 'time of the end' as prophesied by Daniel was fulfilled:

And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.⁹

Religion, a Radiant Light

Under the nine headings in the Tablet of Ishráqát known as 'Ishráq' (Splendour), Bahá'u'lláh elucidates some of His teachings 'revealed specially for the rulers and ministers of the world'; teachings which are 'conducive to safety and protection, tranquillity and peace'. In the first Ishráq He attaches the greatest

9. Daniel 12:8-9.

A basic principle which applies to all religions is that there is a special relationship between a religion and the one which appears immediately after it. When a new Manifestation of God appears, the spirit of faith is extinguished in the older religion and at the same time is breathed into the new one. For instance, with the coming of Christ, the Jewish Faith lost its vigour and vitality; these were instilled into the Christian Faith. In the Qur'án it is stated:

Unto every nation there is a preordained term; therefore when their term is expired, they shall not have respite for an hour, neither shall they be anticipated.¹⁰

It is only since the coming of Bahá'u'lláh and through His

Today, when the light of religion is fading away, the prophecy of Bahá'u'lláh in the 'First Ishráq' has been fulfilled. 'Chaos and confusion' have indeed ensued, and 'the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquillity and peace' have ceased to shine. This process will continue and the world's horizons become darker until the warnings by Bahá'u'lláh issued over a hundred years ago come to pass. We have already quoted this passage:

The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and

only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.¹¹

In many of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh has confirmed that a great part of human suffering is man-made. In a Tablet¹² He states that the peoples of the world are encompassed by punishment for their deeds, and at each period this punishment manifests itself in a different form. In another Tablet¹³ He states that God has created all human beings to recognize His great Revelation in this day, but their failure to embrace His Cause is in itself a chastisement for their deeds. Reward and punishment are the mainstay of human society; this is the law of creation and cannot be altered.

Elsewhere in a Tablet¹⁴ Bahá'u'lláh declares that people are the bondslaves of vain imaginings and corrupt desires. God enables them to busy themselves with their idle fancies and worldly affections as a punishment* in their lives.

In another Tablet He states:

Had the world been of any worth in His sight, He surely would never have allowed His enemies to possess it, even to

14. ibid. vol. 4, p. 19.

the extent of a grain of mustard seed. He hath, however, caused you to be entangled with its affairs, in return for what your hands have wrought in His Cause. This, indeed, is a chastisement which ye, of your own will, have inflicted upon yourselves, could ye but perceive it. Are ye rejoicing in the things which, according to the estimate of God, are contemptible and worthless, things wherewith He proveth the hearts of the doubtful?¹⁵

Numerous are the exhortations of Bahá'u'lláh to His followers in the Tablet of Ishráqát urging them to follow the teachings of God. The following passage, which also appears in the Bishárát, demonstrates the exalted nature of these exhortations:

O people of Bahá! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with that which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.¹⁶

It is interesting to note that in the Tablet of Bishárát Bahá'u'lláh enjoins upon the governments of the world to adopt the international language. These two statements, which seem to be contradictory, may be regarded as two different stages in bringing about a world auxiliary language. The first stage will be the adoption of a universal language by the governments, while the second will have to wait until such time that the Universal House of Justice has emerged as the supreme institution of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh and its authority is recognized. It is only then that it can possibly reconsider the choice of the language so as to either retain the one chosen by the governments or alter it altogether.

In one of His Tablets¹⁷ revealed in 'Akká, Bahá'u'lláh emphasizes the importance of adopting the auxiliary international

["The third Glad-Tidings..."] Bishárát