The Life of Bahá’u’lláh
Ruhi Grade 4--Lesson 6
Tablets to the Kings and Rulers
Gather all people beneath the shadow of Thy bounty and cause them to unite in harmony, so that they may become as the rays of one sun, as the waves of one ocean, and as the fruit of one tree. May they drink from the same fountain. May they be refreshed by the same breeze. May they receive illumination from the same source of light. Thou art the Giver, the Merciful, the Omnipotent.
~Abdu’l-Bahá
“Glorified art Thou, O God of all names and Creator of the heavens! I render Thee thanks that Thou hast made known unto Thy servants this Day whereon the river that is life indeed hath flowed forth from the fingers of Thy bounty, and the springtime of Thy revelation and Thy presence hath appeared through Thy manifestation unto all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth.”
–Baha’u’llah
“O my Lord! O my Lord! This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Powerful, the Generous, the Loving.” –Abdu’l-Baha
“O my Lord! O my Lord! This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Powerful, the Generous, the Loving.” –Abdu’l-Baha
“O my Lord! O my Lord! This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Powerful, the Generous, the Loving.” –Abdu’l-Baha
Bahá’u’lláh teachings aim to establish justice in the world.
Song
Baha’u’llah began to openly proclaim His message to the kings and rulers of the world. While in Adrianople and in Akka he wrote these tablets and called on the rulers to uphold JUSTICE for their people and the world.
Story
Revelation in Siya Chal, Tehran.
Declaration in Ridvan Garden outside Baghdad.
Story
Beginning in Constantinople, but especially in Adrianople and later in Akka, Baha’u’llah addressed Tablets to the kings and rulers of the world.
He called upon them to uphold justice and work towards the establishment of the unity of mankind
Czar of Russia, Nicolaevitch Alexander III
The Shah (King) of Persia was a cruel ruler. Delivering Baha’u’llah’s Tablet to him was going to be a very dangerous task indeed. The journey to deliver it was going to be dangerous too.
Badi walked on foot to Akka to find Baha’u’llah but once he got there he did not know how to find Him or the Baha’is. He could not ask anyone where the Baha’is were or he might have been prevented from finding them. He decided to go first to the mosque to pray and when he was there he recognized ‘Abdu’l-Baha. He wrote a note and slipped it to him and ‘Abdu’l-Baha arranged for him to meet Baha’u’llah that night.
“A youth named Mirza Badi, a native of Khurasan, took the epistle, and hastened toward the presence of His Majesty the King. The Royal Train [the king’s retinue] had its abode and station outside Tihran, so he took his stand alone on a rock in a place far off but opposite to the Royal Pavilion, and awaited day and night the passing of the Royal escort or the attainment of admission into the Imperial Presence…”
From ‘Abdu’l-Baha “A Traveller’s Narrative”
“Three days did he pass in a state of fasting and vigilance: an emaciated body and enfeebled spirit remained. On the fourth day the Royal Personage was examining all quarters and directions with a telescope when suddenly his glance fell on this man who was seated in the utmost respectful attitude on a rock. It was inferred from the indications [perceived] that he must certainly have thanks [to offer], or some complaint or demand for redress and justice [to prefer]...
[The King] commanded one of those in attendance at the court to inquire into the circumstances of this youth. On interrogation [it was found that] he carried a letter which he desired to convey with his own hand into the Royal Presence. On receiving permission to approach, he cried out before the pavilion with a dignity, composure, and respectfulness surpassing description, and in a loud voice, “O King, I have come unto thee from Sheba with a weighty message!”* [The King] commanded to take the letter and arrest the bearer. His Majesty the King wished to act with deliberation and desired to discover the truth, but those who were present before him loosed their tongues in violent reprehension…
So the ministers of the court signified [that he should suffer] punishment and ordered the torture. As the first torment they applied the chain and rack, saying, “Make known thy other friends that thou mayest be delivered from excruciating punishment, and make thy comrades captive that thou mayest escape from the torment of the chain and the keenness of the sword.” But, torture, brand, and torment him as they might, they saw naught but steadfastness and silence…
So, when the torture gave no result, they [first] photographed him (the executioners on his left and on his right, and he sitting bound in fetters and chains beneath the sword with perfect meekness and composure), and then slew and destroyed him. This photograph I sent for, and found worthy of contemplation, for he was seated with wonderful humility and strange submissiveness, in utmost resignation. – Abdu’l-Baha, A Traveller’s Narrative, p. 58-59.
Now when His Majesty the King had perused certain passages [of Baha’u’llah’s tablet] and become cognizant of the contents of the epistle, he was much affected at what had taken place and manifested regret, because his courtiers had acted hastily and put into execution a severe punishment. It is even related that he said thrice, “Doth anyone punish [one who is but] the channel of correspondence?” – Abdu’l-Baha, A Traveller’s Narrative, p. 58-59.
In His Tablet to the Shah, Baha’u’llah commanded him, and the other rulers of the world, to practice justice and equity, to disarm, to stop their wars, to treat their subjects with fairness, to relieve the burdens of the poor, to stop oppressing others and to do everything in their power to unite the nations. He asked the world’s leaders to turn towards God, to renounce their riches and palaces, and to protect their people. He warned the Shah that the only legacy he would leave when he departed this world was his justice—or his lack of it:
By God! Every distinction hath been erased, save only for those who upheld the right and who ruled with justice. – Baha’u’llah, Summons of the Lord of Hosts.