What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet of visitation by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, published in Risáliy-i-Ayyám-i-Tis‘ih, pp. 195–96. It was written in honor of Manúchihr Khán (d. 1847), who served as governor of the province of Isfahan during the ministry of the Báb and came to believe in His Cause, even housing Him at his residence for a time. For more details on his relationship to the Báb, refer to The Dawn-Breakers, passim.
(Tablet of visitation for the foremost of officials and the pride of ministers: the mighty Mu‘tamidu’d-Dawlih, the honorable Manúchihr Khán, upon him be divine mercy and good-pleasure)
He is God
Upon thee be salutations and praise, and on thee rest blessings and glory, O leader of the ministers and sovereign of the rulers, O resplendent sun among the officials and most luminous of all moons, O commander of the highest realm of heaven who art seated on the throne of noble grandeur! I testify that thou didst indeed believe in God and place thy certainty in His signs; that thou didst humble thyself before the Manifestation of the splendors of God and show submissiveness to the Dawning-place of His revelation; that thou wert attracted by the fragrances of God and didst support the Dayspring of His Light; and that thou didst protect the Focal Point of guidance from the wickedness of His enemies, who forsook righteousness and laid hold on corrupt desire, having no fear of God and disparaging the Source of His signs. Thou wert one who was neither shut out by sundry veils from beholding His perspicuous signs nor hindered by troves of wealth from treading His exemplary path. Happy art thou, O possessor of the greatest courage! Blessed art thou, O holder of the loftiest rank! Thou art elated amidst the Concourse on High, and thou art glorious in the Kingdom of Abhá. Thou art lauded by the tongues of the godly, and thou art praised by the mouths of the rightly guided. Well is it with whosoever hath visited thy radiant resting-place! Well is it with whosoever hath kissed thy sanctified tomb! Well is it with whosoever hath clung to thy fragrant grave! Well is it with whosoever hath inhaled the sweet scent of thy burial ground! Well is it with whosoever hath served at thy sepulcher, more redolent than the most potent musk! Well is it with whosoever kindleth a light in thine exalted courtyard!* Well is it with whosoever adorneth thy wondrous site of eternal repose! I swear by God that such a one is of them that have attained, one who shall forever abide in Paradise.
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* Following his death in 1847, Manúchihr Khán was interred at the Fáṭimih Ma‘ṣúmih Shrine in Qum and may still be buried there. In a Tablet to the Bahá’ís of Qum, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has written, “From time to time, in a spirit of the utmost supplication, and with your faces turned toward God, visit the radiant grave of the Shamsu’l-Vuzará’ [Manúchihr Khán] on behalf of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and light a few candles at that sanctified tomb, inasmuch as this act resulteth in nearness to the threshold of divine grandeur” (provisional rendering mine; original Persian text published in Má’idiy-i-Ásmání, vol. 5, p. 227).
A typescript of the original Arabic text of this Tablet of visitation appears below.
Adib Masumian 