After being exiled from Baghdad, where He had been free to move about the city and guide the early Baha’i community there, Baha’u’llah wrote a Tablet back to the community that remained.  Baha’u’llah of course was Persian but the people in Baghdad who had become His followers were of Arab background- thus He addressed them as- “O My Arabs!”. It contains beautiful counsels as to how a community of people should treat each other in times of distress and difficulty.  As we face that world-wide, it seems appropriate to post a selection from it.

The Tablet of course to a community of His faith, and has those clear elements, but Baha’u’llah tells us in His later Tablets that His counsels are for everyone, irrespective of faith affiliation. The Tablet is somewhat reminiscent of Jesus’ instructions to His community, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew-

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Baha’u’llah begins the Tablet by addressing the community- “My Arabs, My loved ones, My chosen ones, My legions, My manifestation! Hearken unto My call, if ye be among them with ears to hear”, and He urges them to remember the times He was amongst them- “My beloved ones, forget not My presence in My days, nor deny My compassion unto you and My grace bestowed upon you”.

It then continues-

O beloved of God and His legions! Consecrate your endeavors unto God and His beauty, and whensoever ye should hear His verses, thank God, your Creator, for having enabled you to recognize His own Self after ye had been heedless of Him. Then prostrate yourselves before God outwardly and in your hearts, then praise Him for the revelation of this ancient grace. Beware lest ye be in conflict regarding the Cause of God…then gather together in love, and set right whatever antipathy hath come between you, that you may be as one soul upon an exalted seat of truth. Beware lest ye should exceed the limits which God hath ordained for you and transgress them; be not of them that breed corruption.

Should one in destitution come before you, freely give what God hath bestowed upon you and be not of those who withhold their blessings. Should ye discover one who hath been wronged, deal compassionately with him and consort with him with the utmost kindliness. Should ye meet one who is weak in faith, oppose him not, but, rather, call him to remembrance with kindliness and with gentle and eloquent words, that he might recognize the Cause of God within himself and become apprised of that which he is commanded by One who is the Omniscient, the All-Knowing. Beware lest one be in conflict with another, lest a soul wrong another, lest someone be unfaithful to another, lest a friend backbite another, lest one disown their brothers in faith. Be mindful of God in all that We have revealed to you and be among such as are assured thereof. Beware lest you withhold the bounties of your wealth from your kindred amongst you and from the poor and poverty stricken. In all this do We counsel you and God command you, if ye be of those who understand.

Thus do We set forth to you the verses of divine unity and expound that which ye have been commanded, that ye may testify unto the oneness of your Creator, with the tongue of your inner and outer being, in such wise that His signs be revealed from every limb of your bodies, and ye be among those who confirm His singleness. God is the One unto Whom your souls, your hearts, your spirits, your bodies and all that ye possess shall return; indeed, He is the final end of all in the heavens and on earth.

May the Spirit be with you, O Assemblage of Friends, from the least amongst you to the great. Pronounce greetings, on our behalf, unto your kindred and children. This is of My command unto you; observe it, that ye may be among the rightly guided.

The entire Tablet has been beautifully translated (provisionally) by Joshua Hall and may be found at http://joshuahalltranslations.com/the-tablet-of-holiness/. Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash