An Introduction to Tablet of Mulla Baqir

spiritual ritual practice consists of two stages. First, the moment the very thought of Him Whom God shall make manifest crosses the mind of the letter of the living, he should recite 19 times each of the 5 verses that indicate sovereignty of the Promised One and his sanctification beyond all five realms of being. Together, they constitute 95 times affirmation of the sanctification or glorification of the Promised one. Needless to say, in the writings of the Bab 95 is the symbol of the word for LIllah (for God) because in its numerical value Lillah is equal to 95. In Persian Bayan the Bab explains that the true realization of “for God” is the Manifestation of God because no act is For the sake of God unless it is done for the sake of Him Whom God shall make manifest. 12 The five verses are: Glorified be God, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven!

Glorified be God, the Lord of Power and Dominion! Glorified be God, the Lord of Might and Divinity!

Glorified be God, the Lord of Strength and Ruby-coloured realm of Potency! Glorified be God, the Lord of Sovereignty and the realm of the earthly Creation! 13

In the second stage, the letter of the living should arise, standup, and confirm his willingness to arrive at the sanctuary of unity by a supplication to God and offering a befitting testimony. In this powerful supplication one first testifies to the fact that God has created him in order to recognize the transcendence and sanctity of God beyond all descriptions and praise. Then the reader asks God for permission to think of HimWhom God shall make manifest in a way that is befitting his intrinsic worth, and to be blessed with his love. The reader then testifies to the mode of thinking, recognizing, and loving that is worthy of Him Whom God shall make manifest: if one finds him alone by himself when no one else believes in him, and he prostrates before him, that is a recognition that is due to his intrinsic worth. Likewise, if one finds that all on earth are prostrating before the Promised One, this would not increase in any way his majesty in his heart. On the contrary, if the awareness of his acceptance by all the people slightly affects his devotion to him, he has failed to recognize him as he is worthy of recognition, and thus he has failed to affirm the unity of God. One’s mode of recognizing Him Whom God shall make manifest should be exactly the mode of one’s recognition of the unity of God. After the two stages of ritual preparation, the letter of the living is ready to hear the words of the Bab in regard to questions about the revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest. Although we will explore the main ideas emphasized in this tablet, it is timely to remember that even in his answer the Bab himself engages in a ritual act of sanctification. The Bab is emphasizing that no person, no idea, and no praise can describe Him Whom God shall make manifest. Therefore, he cannot be constrained, defined or known by any of his creation. Among these creations of the Manifestation, all incapable of defining and conditioning him, are: the very concept of recognition and certitude, the very names of God like One, Quddus, Subbuh, Mighty, Beloved, and others. No one can claim any authority in his presence on the basis of titles like prophet, vicegerent, supreme scholar, and manifestation of the highest divine attributes because it is only through his word that these beings come into existence. In order to make this point even more dramatic the Bab repeats 70 times a statement which indicates that

12 The Bab, Persian Bayan 7:2. 13 The Bab, Tablet to Mulla Baqir.