Him Who is the All-Merciful.  He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.  It is now incumbent upon them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a seeing eye to ponder these sublime words, in each of which the oceans of inner meaning and explanation are hidden, that haply the words uttered by Him Who is the Lord of Revelation may enable His servants to attain, with the utmost joy and radiance, unto the Supreme Goal and Most Sublime Summit—­the dawning-place of this Voice.

O Shay_kh_!  Wert thou to perceive, be it less than a needle’s eye, the breaths of Mine utterance, thou wouldst abandon the world and all that is therein, and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the countenance of the Desired One.  Briefly, in the sayings of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus) unnumbered significances lie concealed.  Unto many things did He refer, but as He found none possessed of a hearing ear or a seeing eye He chose to conceal most of these things.  Even as He saith:  “But ye cannot bear them now.”  That Dawning-Place of Revelation saith that on that Day He Who is the Promised One will reveal the things which are to come.  Accordingly in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and in the Tablets to the Kings, and in the Lawh-i-Ra’is, and in the Lawh-i-Fu’ad, most of the things which have come to pass on this earth have been announced and prophesied by the Most Sublime Pen.

In the Kitab-i-Aqdas the following hath been revealed:  “O Land of Ta (Tihran)!  Let nothing grieve thee, for God hath chosen thee to be the source of the joy of all mankind.  He shall, if it be His Will, bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice, who will gather together the flock of God which the wolves have scattered.  Such a ruler will, with joy and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his favors unto, the people of Baha.  He indeed is accounted in the sight of God, as a jewel among men.  Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation.”  These verses were revealed previously.  Now, however, the following verse hath been sent down:  “O God, my God!  Baha beseecheth Thee and imploreth Thee, by the lights of Thy countenance and the billows of the ocean of Thy Revelation, and the effulgent splendors of the Sun of Thine utterance, to aid the Shah to be fair and equitable.  If it be Thy wish, bless Thou, through him, the throne of authority and sovereignty.  Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee.  There is none other God but Thee, Who hearest, Who art ready to answer.”  “Rejoice with great joy, O Land of Ta (Tihran), for God hath made thee the dayspring of His light, inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of His glory.  Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee—­a name through which the Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor, through which both earth and heaven have been illumined.  Erelong will the state of affairs within thee be changed, and the reins of power fall into the hands of the people.  Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing.  His authority embraceth all things.  Rest thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord.  The eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed towards thee.  The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm.  Thus hath it been decreed in the Wondrous Book.”