What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet that Baháʼuʼlláh revealed for Mírzá Muḥammad-ʻAlí Varqá on 23 April 1887. The original Persian text of this Tablet has been published in Máʼidiy-i-Ásmání, vol. 4, pp. 154–155.
In this Tablet, Baháʼuʼlláh expresses several benedictions (e.g., “May the souls of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake”) for the historical figures mentioned, sometimes in very close proximity to one another. To preserve flow and enhance readability, these benedictions have not been carried over into the provisional translation.
The days of the Manifestations of God have, in one sense, been referred to as the Day of God. Yet these days, as they are mentioned in all the Holy Books, represent the advent of the One unseen and hidden, the Treasured Mystery—He Who will speak forth, in ringing tones, before the faces of all men. In the Scriptures of old, including the Qurʼán, the grandeur of these days hath been mentioned and recorded. In the days when He was journeying to Mákú, He Who heralded the light of Divine Guidance—that is, the Primal Point [the Báb]—attained to outward seeming the honor of meeting [Baháʼuʼlláh], albeit concealed from all. [1] Quddús, likewise, attained unto this same honor on numerous occasions. In His [Baháʼuʼlláh’s] [2] journey to Khurásán, [3] He specifically summoned Quddús to His presence, to which he attained multiple times over the course of several months. The Primal Point hath conferred upon Mullá Ḥusayn and Quddús the titles of “the First Name” and “the Last Name,” and characterized them as “the First to arrive” and “the Last to attain.” Unto each of them He announced the glad-tidings of this Revelation. Likewise, unto Jináb-i-Sayyáḥ [4] in particular He said, “Go thou; perchance thou wilt find what thou seekest.”
The Universal Manifestations of God have ever been aware [of their station], even before their revelations. They, in truth, are the Dawning-places of divine Knowledge.
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[1] The question of whether or not the Báb and Baháʼuʼlláh physically met at Khánluq (near the village of Kulayn) has long been a subject of controversy, but elsewhere Baháʼuʼlláh Himself, and beyond Him ʻAbduʼl-Bahá, attests to the strictly spiritual nature of this encounter. See here for more.
[2] Sometimes, Baháʼuʼlláh’s Tablets (or portions of them) were revealed in the voice of His amanuensis, Mírzá Áqá Ján. Such Tablets were, however, all approved by Baháʼuʼlláh Himself. This is one such instance; Baháʼuʼlláh appears to be referring to Himself in the third person, but that is not actually the case. For more on this phenomenon, refer to Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baháʼuʼlláh, vol. 1, pp. 40–42.
[3] Baháʼuʼlláh made two attempts to go to Shaykh Ṭabarsí. The first was successful; Baháʼuʼlláh journeyed there by way of Sháhrúd (a city in the province of Khurásán), where Quddús welcomed Him upon His arrival. (For more details on this first attempt, see Dawn-Breakers, p. 288.) The second attempt was not successful; Baháʼuʼlláh was intercepted at Ámul, and He eventually returned to Ṭihrán. (For more details on this second attempt, see Dawn-Breakers, ch. XIX, especially p. 376.)
[4] Mírzá ‘Alíy-i-Sáyyaḥ-i-Marághih’í, also known as Mullá Ádí Gúzal, an early Bábí who acted as the servant of the Báb in Máh-Kú, ranked among His leading companions, and subsequently embraced the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
A typescript of the original text of this passage appears below. All Arabic vocalization (and other diacritical markings), as well as bracketed commentary and other orthography not native to Persian, are mine.
Adib Masumian 