Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (trans. Shoghi Effendi, Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 15.
God Passes By (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974, 2018 printing), pp. 192–93.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, CLI, ¶ 2.
“‘Amá is defined as an extremely thin and subtle cloud, seen and then not seen. For shouldst thou gaze with the utmost care, thou wouldst discern something, but as soon as thou dost look again, it ceaseth to be seen. For this reason, in the usage of mystics who seek after truth, ‘Amá signifieth the Universal Reality without individuations as such, for these individuations exist in the mode of uncompounded simplicity and oneness and are not differentiated from the Divine Essence. Thus they are individuated and not individuated. This is the station alluded to by the terms Aḥadíyyih [Absolute Oneness] and ‘Amá. This is the station of the “Hidden Treasure” mentioned in the Ḥadíth. The divine attributes, therefore, are individuations that exist in the Essence but are not differentiated therefrom. They are seen and then not seen. This, in brief, is what is meant by ‘Amá.” (From a previously untranslated Tablet of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá.)
Aḥmad, Muḥammad, and Maḥmúd are names and titles of the Prophet derived from the verb “to praise”, “to extol”.
Literally, “in the garden of Ghawthíyyih”. The Risáliy-i-Ghawthíyyih is a mystical treatise by ‘Abdu’l-Qádir-i-Gílání (ca. 1077–1166). The sentence that follows is a quotation from this work.
‘Aṭṭár (ca. 1119–1230) in his Manṭiqu’ṭ-Ṭayr (The Conference of the Birds) has elaborated seven valleys through which the birds pass in search of their king. Bahá’u’lláh refers to ‘Aṭṭár’s scheme of the valleys. Rúmí (1207–1273) alludes to the “seven cities of love” crossed by ‘Aṭṭár.
Majnún means “madman”. This is the title of the celebrated lover of ancient Persian and Arabian lore whose beloved was Laylí. Symbolizing true human love bordering on the divine, the story has been the theme of many Persian romantic poems, most famously that of Niẓámí, written in 1188.
A reference to the Islamic profession of faith: “No God is there but God, and Muḥammad is the Messenger of God.”
An allusion to the Ḥadíth in which God is said to address the Prophet Muhammad in these words: “But for Thee, I would not have created the spheres.”
Shaykh Abú Ismá‘íl ‘Abdu’lláh Anṣárí of Hirát (1006–1089), a Ṣúfí master, poet, and scholar.
“But for Thee” refers to the Ḥadíth quoted in note 26. “We have failed to know Thee” alludes to a prayer attributed to Muḥammad that says, “We have not known Thee, O God, as Thou oughtest to be known.” “Or even closer” alludes to Qur’án 53:9.
Sa‘dí (ca. 1213–1292), author of the Gulistán and other poetical works.
This refers to Bahá’u’lláh Himself, Who had not yet declared His mission.
A reference to two Ṣúfí concepts. The doctrine of the unity of existence is commonly ascribed to Ibnu’l-Arabí (1165–1240), that of the unity of appearance to Aḥmad Sirhindí (1564–1624). See ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, Some Answered Questions, chapter 82.
Qur’án 17:79. A reference to the station of the Manifestation of God.
“The word ‘Guardian’ in the Seven Valleys has no connection with the Bahá’í Guardianship.” (From a letter dated 8 January 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi.)
In what follows, Bahá’u’lláh interprets the meaning of each of the five letters comprising the word “sparrow” (gunjishk) in Persian.
A reference to the three levels of certitude in the Islamic mystical tradition.
Rúmí. Bahá’u’lláh is here comparing Shaykh ‘Abdu’r-Raḥmán, the recipient of the Tablet, with Ḥusámu’d-Dín Chalabí, to whom Rúmí dedicated his Mathnaví. Ḥusámu’d-Dín means “sword of faith”.
Cf. Rúmí. Here Rúmí tells a story of four evil birds which, when put to death, changed into four birds of goodness. The allegory refers to subduing evil qualities and replacing them with good.
Rúmí. A reference to the Cyclic Theory of Avicenna (Abu-‘Alí Síná [980–1037]).
Rúmí. Shams-i-Tabríz was the Ṣúfí who exerted a powerful influence on Rúmí, diverting his attention from science to mysticism. A great part of Rúmí’s works are dedicated to him.