The Book of the Most Holy CHAPTER SIXTEEN

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The Book of the Most Holy CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Division 496-525

THE MOST HOLY

496.

All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals,

and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days

497.

-- the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the All-Merciful shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes,

498.

and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto mankind the glad tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected and all who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered together.

Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omniscient.

499..

Happy the one who entereth upon the first day of the month of Bahá,

the day which God hath consecrated to this Great Name.

500.

And blessed be he who evidenceth on this day the bounties that God hath bestowed upon him;

he, verily, is of those who show forth thanks to God through actions betokening the Lord's munificence which hath encompassed all the worlds.

501.

Say:

This day, verily, is the crown of all the months and the source thereof,

the day on which the breath of life is wafted over all created things.

502.

Great is the blessedness of him who greeteth it with radiance and joy.

We testify that he is, in truth, among those who are blissful.

503.

Say:

The Most Great Festival is, indeed, the King of Festivals.

504.

Call ye to mind, O people, the bounty which God hath conferred upon you.

505.

Ye were sunk in slumber, and lo!

He aroused you by the reviving breezes of His Revelation,

and made known unto you His manifest and undeviating Path.

506.

Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians;

507.

We have not set aside the use of material means,

rather have We confirmed it through this Pen,

which God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His shining and glorious Cause.

508.

God had formerly laid upon each one of the believers

the duty of offering before Our throne priceless gifts from among his possessions.

509.

Now, in token of Our gracious favour,

We have absolved them of this obligation.

He, of a truth, is the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful.

510.

Blessed is he who, at the hour of dawn, centring his thoughts on God,

occupied with His remembrance, and supplicating His forgiveness,

directeth his steps to the Mashriqu'l-Adhká r and, entering therein,

seateth himself in silence to listen to the verses of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

511.

Say:

The Mashriqu'l-Adhká r is each and every building which hath been erected in cities and villages for the celebration of My praise.

512.

Such is the name by which it hath been designated before the throne of glory,

were ye of those who understand.

513.

They who recite the verses of the All-Merciful in the most melodious of tones will perceive in them that with which the sovereignty of earth and heaven can never be compared.

514.

From them they will inhale the divine fragrance of My worlds --

worlds which today none can discern save those who have been endowed with vision through this sublime, this beauteous Revelation.

515.

Say:

These verses draw hearts that are pure unto those spiritual worlds

that can neither be expressed in words nor intimated by allusion.

Blessed be those who hearken.

516.

Assist ye, O My people,

My chosen servants who have arisen to make mention of Me among My creatures and to exalt My Word throughout My realm.

517.

These, truly, are the stars of the heaven of My loving providence and the lamps of My guidance unto all mankind.

518.

But he whose words conflict with that which hath been sent down in My Holy Tablets is not of Me.

Beware lest ye follow any impious pretender.

519.

These Tablets are embellished with the seal of Him Who causeth the dawn to appear,

Who lifteth up His voice between the heavens and the earth.

520.

Lay hold on this Sure Handle and on the Cord of My mighty and unassailable Cause.

521.

The Lord hath granted leave to whoever desireth to be instructed in the divers tongues of the world

that he may deliver the Message of the Cause of God throughout the East and throughout the West,

that he make mention of Him amidst the kindreds and peoples of the world

in such wise that hearts may revive and the mouldering bone be quickened.

522.

It is inadmissible that man, who hath been endowed with reason,

should consume that which stealeth it away.

523.

Nay, rather it behoveth him to comport himself in a manner worthy of the human station,

and not in accordance with the misdeeds of every heedless and wavering soul.

524.

Adorn your heads with the garlands of trustworthiness and fidelity,

your hearts with the attire of the fear of God,

your tongues with absolute truthfulness,

your bodies with the vesture of courtesy.

525.

These are in truth seemly adornings unto the temple of man, if ye be of them that reflect.

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