-- provisional translation approved by the Universal House
of Justice for inclusion in the book: 'Leaves of the Twin Divine Trees' (by
Baharieh Rouhani Ma’ani)
He is the comforter of the sorrowful!
O Pen! Verily Thou hast been visited by a great calamity, an
immense affliction, which hath caused the inhabitants of the highest Heaven and
most lofty Paradise to lament. Through this affliction sorrow hath ascended
until it seized the hem of the robe of the Merciful. Blessed be the man who
arose to render her service in her lifetime and visited her grave after she
winged her flight and ascended to the world beyond. Blessed likewise be the
handmaiden who betook herself to her shrine and through her drew nigh unto God.
The glory shining from the horizon of My luminous Brow, and
the splendour of the light manifested from the heaven of My Name, the Most
Glorious, be upon thee, O thou the fruit of the divine Lote-Tree, the blessed and
luminous leaf, the consort of the One through Whose revelation the kingdom of
immortality and the realm of creation were wreathed in smiles! I testify that
thou art in
truth the first leaf who attained the cup of a sure union and the last fruit who offered up her soul because
of her separation from Him. Thou art the one whose inner being was consumed,
whose heart melted, and whose limbs were set aflame by reason of thy remoteness
from the presence of the One Whom God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His
Signs, the Dayspring of His Proofs, the Manifestation of His Names, the Source
of His laws, and the Seat of His Throne.
O My leaf and the fragrance of the paradise of My good
pleasure! Thou art with the Supreme Companion, and this Wronged One maketh mention
of thee in the prison of 'Akká. Thou art she who, before the creation of the world
of being, discovered the fragrance of the garment of the All-Merciful. Thou
wert honoured with meeting Him, attained union with Him, and drank the wine of
nearness from the hand of His bestowal. I testify that in thee two signs have
been conjoined: The sign of union revived thee in the beginning and the sign of
separation encompassed thy death in the end. How many a night did thy sighs
ascend because of thy love for God and thy tears flow at the mention of His
Name, the Most Glorious! He hath verily been with thee, witnessing thy burning,
thy fervour, thine eagerness, thy yearning, and hearing the lamentation of thy
heart and the wailing of thine inner being.
O thou who art the fruit of My tree! Through thine affliction the ocean of sorrows hath surged and the breezes of forgiveness have wafted. I bear witness that on the night thou didst ascend to the Abhá Horizon and to the throne of the Most High, and on the following day, in honour of thee and as a bounty unto thee, God verily forgave the trespasses of every servant and handmaiden who ascended, save those who openly denied God's truth and that which He hath revealed. Thus hath God singled thee out, O My leaf, for this most great bounty and this everlasting and preeminent station. Well is it with thee, with those who visit thee, with those who dwell in thy vicinity, with those who circle round thee, and with those who have besought and will continue to beseech God through thee.
Thou art she through whose afflictions the Maid of Heaven lamented and the leaves of the Tree of Revelation grieved. Thou art she who upon hearing the call from the tongue of the Possessor of the kingdom of names turned thy face unto Him and wert so attracted that the reins of composure were well-nigh seized from thy hand. O My leaf! O thou who art soaring in the atmosphere of My love, hast turned thy face unto Mine, and art occupied with my praise! Verily, We have revealed for thee a remembrance which neither the affairs of the centuries nor the passing of the ages can obliterate. We have through My Supreme Pen immortalized thy mention in the Crimson Book, which is known to none except God, the Source of all created things, and We have made mention of thee in this Tablet in such wise that those who enjoy near access to God will remember thee and the believers in the divine unity will direct their steps towards thine earthly remains. Blessed art thou, and well is it with thee and with whosoever standeth before thy resting-place reciting that which the Lord of Bounty hath now revealed. (Bahá’u’áh)