Bahai 101

Lesson 2: The Life Of Baha'u'llah

Major Tablets of Baha'u'llah

Baha'u'llah wrote over 15,000 tablets during his lifetime. While some of these are still being translated, several are available in many languages.

The first book that Baha'u'llah wrote was in 1858, known as "The Hidden Words". It was written after his three year journey through the mountains of Kurdistan. This particular book is full of short phrases that carry mystical meaning to them.

"O Friends! Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust." (#14)

Half of the phrases are written in Persian, and the other half in Arabic.

The second book written was the Kitab-i-Iqan in 1862. This means "Book of Certitude". This book is also very mystical in nature and talks about the logical, ethical and morality of walking a spiritual path. He also speaks of the historical importance of the Babis and the meaning of prophecy, as well as the fulfillment of prophecy.

"The essence of these words is this: they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly -- their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 1)

The next writing by Baha'u'llah that is of major significance is now known as "The Four Valleys and the Seven Valleys". This book is focused around the Islamic mysticism, known as Sufism. It takes the spirit on a journey of seven valleys: search, love, unity, up to utter nothingness. It speaks of the qualities of each plane and what the spirit goes through on these different planes. Wrapped into this text, are references to stories that Sufi's use to prove points about moral and life lessons and poetry by Rumi and other mystic poetics.

These three books of mysticism are the main ones that were written by Baha'u'llah during this time. His revelation then took a turn towards a different group of people. In 1863 Baha'u'llah announced himself as the Promised One, and by 1866 he began to speak publicly of the new Faith known as Bahai. During this time he began to write to the religious leaders. His first was a set of tablets sent to Napoleon of France, Queen Victoria of Austria, Pope Pius IX, and several other political leaders of the world. His message was one of stopping wars and working towards world unity. There were hints of His being a religious leader as well. Queen Victoria was the only one to accept the message as valid.

From 1868-73 was the next phase in Baha'u'llah's writings. In 1873 he wrote the Kitab-i-Aqdas, also known as the book of laws. This holds the major social and spiritual principles for Bahais. He also continued to write to the leaders of the world, reminding them of their position.

The last part of Baha'u'llah's life was when he was free to write the most. This was the first time in his life that he was not exiled or imprisoned. One important tablet He wrote is known as the Lawh-i-Aqdas, or "The Most Holy Tablet". This tablet is to the Christians of the world.

"This is the Most Holy Tablet sent down from the holy kingdom unto the one who hath set his face towards the Object of the adoration of the world, He Who hath come from the heaven of eternity, invested with transcendent glory.
In the name of the Lord, the Lord of great glory. This is an Epistle from Our presence unto him whom the veils of names have failed to keep back from God, the Creator of earth and heaven, that his eyes may be cheered in the days of his Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 7)

He also wrote several tablets named around virtues, such as "Glad-Tidings", "Splendors", "Words of Paradise", "Tablet of Wisdom" and "Tablet of Unity".

The last tablet he wrote before his death was the Lawh-i-Ibn-i-dhi'b or "Epistle to the Son of the Wolf". This was written as a warning to his brother, Mirza Yahya, as well as to Shaykh Ahmad, who had plotted against Baha'u'llah for most of his life. It was a warning to change his ideals and even his belief. It was one of the longest tablets written by Baha'u'llah, full of mysticism and proof that He was the Promised One.

"Now is the moment in which to cleanse thyself with the waters of detachment that have flowed out from the Supreme Pen, and to ponder, wholly for the sake of God, those things which, time and again, have been sent down or manifested, and then to strive, as much as lieth in thee, to quench, through the power of wisdom and the force of thy utterance, the fire of enmity and hatred which smouldereth in the hearts of the peoples of the world. The Divine Messengers have been sent down, and their Books were revealed, for the purpose of promoting the knowledge of God, and of furthering unity and fellowship amongst men. But now behold, how they have made the Law of God a cause and pretext for perversity and hatred. How pitiful, how regrettable, that most men are cleaving fast to, and have busied themselves with, the things they possess, and are unaware of, and shut out as by a veil from, the things God possesseth!

Say: "O God, my God! Attire mine head with the crown of justice, and my temple with the ornament of equity. Thou, verily, art the Possessor of all gifts and bounties." (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 11)

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