A Tablet from the Writings of the Báb

Abstract: This paper presents a provisional English rendering of a brief yet luminous Tablet revealed by the Báb during the period of His incarceration in the mountain fortresses of Ádhirbáyján. Whether composed in the open vastness of Máh-Kú or in the more grievous stronghold of Chihríq cannot be ascertained with certainty, though the opening verse—“No star hath shone forth, nor hath the bird of the Mist of the Unknown (Amā) warbled, nor hath the dove beat its wings—in fine, all is imprisoned within the Mountain”—appears to indicate the latter. The Tablet, cast in accents of lofty dignity and unshakable assurance, reflects the resignation, serenity, and invincible fortitude with which the Báb endured the rigours of His confinement. Its verses, clothed in the cadences of the Qur’án, breathe a spirit of utter trust in the decrees of God and summon the faithful to that fear of God which alone opens the gates of deliverance and assurance. With the striking metaphor of a lion enchained—its might, glory, and dignity unbroken—the Báb affirms the inviolable power of the Cause of God. Concluding with verses resonant with the eternal Word of God, this Tablet stands as a testimony alike to His resignation and to the sublimity of His summons. The Arabic text is published in Khūshih-hā-yi az Kharman-i Adab va Hunar, no. 6, Dawrih-yi Bayān (152 B.E./1995), p. 6.