What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The original text has not been published; a typescript of it was shared with me by Marc Soudon, who received it from the National Bahá’í Archives of France.
This Tablet was addressed to Gabriel Sacy (20 November 1858 – 21 March 1903), an Egyptian Catholic and Martinist who seems to have become a Baháʼí around the turn of the twentieth century, apparently under the guidance of Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl Gulpáygání, who was also living in Egypt at the time. Sacy spoke seven languages, studied at the Syrian Protestant College (now the American University of Beirut), and worked as the head of the personnel office at the Ministry of Finance in Cairo. E.G. Browne writes that Sacy “had become a fervent Baháʼí with a very remarkable faculty for interpreting the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, especially those of the Book of Daniel and Revelation, in support of the Bábí and Bahá’í claims” (Materials for the Study of the Bábí Religion, pp. 185–86).
He is God!
Egypt
To the honorable Jibrán Effendí Ṣáṣí [Gabriel Sacy]
O thou who art attracted by the divine fragrances! Praised be God, Who hath enabled thee to achieve that which He loveth and is well-pleased with; hath reinforced thee with the hosts of the Supreme Concourse; and hath graciously aided thee to diffuse His fragrances throughout those parts and breathe the spirit of life into that clime, from whose regions naught is heard save the mention of this world and its concerns. We beseech God to make thine utterance a means for the penetration of the spirit of religion throughout that mighty land. When the people ask about the interpretation, exposition, and elucidation of the Biblical verses that have proceeded from the mouths of the Prophets, turn thou unto the Kingdom of God, whereupon the Spirit will aid thee, inspiring thee with the most fluent explanation.
As to thy conversation with Shawqí Páshá, let it be the establishment of clear proofs and manifest evidences for the truth of the noble Apostle [Muḥammad] and the mighty Qur’án, adduced with all eloquence, lucidity, and sublime meaning. Glory rest upon thee.
A typescript of the original Arabic text of this Tablet appears below (all punctuation and short vowel marks mine).
Adib Masumian 