This prayer, or ode to the Shrine of the Bab written by Shoghi Effendi, is a part of his Naw-Ruz 1955Message to the Baha'is of Persia.

The translation wasprepared by the Universal House of Justice, and excerpts from it are included in Hand of the CauseKhadem's article, "The Mountain of God and the Tablet of Carmel" published in U.S. Baha'i News in August, 1975.

The article is included as an appendix to JavidukhtKhadem's "Zikrullah Khadem, The Itinerant Hand of theCause of God," (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990)pp. 282-286.

This magnificent Edifice [the Shrine of the Bab]
stands facing Baha'u'llah's Most Great Prison,
extolled by the Pen of Glory as the "Heaven of heavens,"
and looks toward the Qiblih of the people of Baha,
that Spot within the Vale of Security and Peace,
the Plain of `Akka, round which circle in adoration the Concourse on high.
To her right are the hills of Galilee
in which nestles the childhood home of the beautiful Christ,
and the locality by the banks of the Jordan River
where He who is theSpirit [Jesus] was called to prophethood;
and on her left, on the crest of Carmel,
are to be found the Cave of Elijah
and the exalted Spot which was blessed
by the footsteps of the Most Holy Abha Beauty
and was ennobled through the revelation of the Tablet of Carmel
from the treasury of the Pen of Glory....
High, immeasurably high is this Shrine,
the lofty, the most great, the most wondrous.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted is this Resting-place,
the fragrant, the pure, the luminous, the transcendent.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified is this Spot,
the most august, the most holy, the most blessed, the most sublime....
Upon thee, O Queen of Carmel, be the purest, the most tender salutations,
the fairest, the most gracious blessings!
Glorified is He Whose footsteps have ennobled the spot whereon thou standest,
Who ordained thy Seat, and Who extolled thee in His Tablet and Book.
How great is the potency of thy might,
a might which has bewildered the souls of the favored ones of God and HisMessengers. Methinks I behold thee in my dreams established upon thy glorious throne,
attired in thy white raiment, crowned with thy golden crown,
resplendent with thelights shining within thee and around thee,
calling aloud inringing tones and raising thy voice between earth andheaven.
Methinks I perceive the souls of the holy ones and of the dwellers of the realms above hastening towardthee with utmost joy, eagerness and ecstasy,
pointing to thee, circling round thee, inhaling the perfume of thyflowers and roses,
seeking blessing from the earth of thy precincts,
bowing their foreheads to the ground before thee in recognition of the majesty and glory which surround the Holy Dust reposing within thee,
the Pearlwhich is enshrined in thy bosom.
Blessed, immeasurably blessed is the person who visits thee and circles around thee,
who serves at thythreshold, waters thy flowers, inhales the fragrance of holiness from thy roses, celebrates thy praise and glorifies thy station for the love of God, thy Creator, in this hallowed and radiant, this great, august andwondrous age.

The Hour Glass of Life

The sands of time flowing gently by, within
each grain a steady wealth of experience.
Some shimmering with joy, some
suffering with agony,
but each a balance a
perfect equi-poise.
Side by side they
fall together
through the
narrow
passage
of time.

There is only
flow and constant
movement onwards.
We cannot halt the ever
moving sands of time. Only
trust the reflective shadows of
dark and light will touch the hearts and
souls of those who watch the sands of time.

And when you turn the sands of time and see the fading splendour,
each tiny grain creations wonder. The pulse of life.
The dust of new birth. For herein lies one
secret of the universe. There is no
nothingness - no empty space.
From dust does all
creation form.
To dust it
once again
returns.

And as it moves
with resistless strength
gathering energy and force of a
life well spent. This drifting gentle
moving form of dust, casts upon its shores
those pearls of wisdom - glittering jewels - a galaxy
of breathless wonder shimmering with eagerness to share
with those who stand and watch the sands of time. The certainty
and knowledge that there is no
nothingness.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent

memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness.

And let the winds of the heavens


dance between you.”


Kahlil Gibran

Pursue a course of excellence and

when you listen – listen with patience.

For you can listen with the ear, but when

you listen with your heart

you hear the truth.




May the years ahead be rich with love,

and may every encounter be a

dress rehearsal towards perfection.


Sylvia miley

Soul Talk
Towards Perfection


When you look into each other’s eyes
look into the soul.
Pierce the veils of hesitation
with the sword of sincerity.

Drink from the chalice of love
the rich wine of affection.
May each drop enrich
your togetherness.

Draw from the reservoir
of contentment
those graces to endow
each of you with steadfastness.

Pursue a course of excellence and
when you listen – listen with patience.
For you can listen with the ear, but when
you listen with your heart
you hear the truth.

May the years ahead be rich with love,
and may every encounter be a
dress rehearsal towards perfection.

By Sylvia Miley


24th July 2004

O Purest Branch!
O Thou who hast been created from the Light of Bahá,
From birth Thou hast known
The agony of separation with your loved ones;
Pain and suffering was your companion,
Causing all things to groan
And every pillar to tremble.

O Purest Branch!
......Exile....Imprisonment was your destiny.
Wronged of the world!
Thou were lain, blood-stained,
In that most great prison;
Face to face with your Creator,
Begging your Lord, The Lord of Hosts,
That your life be a ransom
To the lovers of Bahá.
Like The Son of God, Jesus The Christ.

O PUREST BRANCH!
And when The Glory of God,
The Heavenly Father,
Did accept your request
And made Abraham's sacrifice renewed,
All the dwellers of the Abhá tabernacle wept
And all the Concourse on High did lament.

O Mírzá Mihdí!
Great is thy blessedness,
for thou hast been faithful to the Covenant of God!
Great is thy martydom in the path of your Lord,
alike Imam Husayn.
Great, indeed, for the Supreme Manifestation of God
IS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.

O Mírzá Mihdí,
The Purest Branch!
So pure was your soul
That the earth trembled to welcome you.

O Purest Branch!
From you, all the dwellers of this world
Will be united.
Praise be upon you, O sacrifice of the worlds.

~Josian Dholah
January 30, 2005

BAHA'U'LLAH, I Love The Blues of You
Can I express what I am feeling tonight?
Whenever I intone Your holy verses, O Lord,
It's as if I enter a world of wonder;
I am softly nestled in the Arms of the Universe.

Contentment
Mixed sadness, somber
Words fail to enrobe this feeling
Tears come abunduntly
Hide myself for no eyes to see
A sweet, tender moment.
Baha'u'llah, I love the Blues of You.



I know there is death and injustice out there,
suffering and loss.
But, you see, I am pleased and content with my plea.
I have troubles of my own,

little money and many many more.

Why am I lifted to this plane

With only my intonation

And communion with You, Lord,

Forgetful of the world around me?
Baha'u'llah, I Love the Blues of You!

It is in seeing the end in the beginning,
The knowing of a coming dawn,

That will break the errors of men
And replace them with joy.



The world is dark, filled with war and hatred,
anger, aggression and despair.
Yet the light of an Assured Future is there,
Plain to see for the open eye.
I've got the blues, O my Lord!

You wish me only joy and happiness
And let no harm beset me in times of tests.
These promises of Yours I know,
Many, many a time appeared true
And in my heart revealed.

But, for now, I'm trapped within my humanness.
Baha'u'llah, I've got the Blues of You!



See these broken wings, O Royal Falcon!

Refresh my drooping soul
So that I may wing my flight high.
Alas, I am deep in the abyss of humanness.
Baha'u'llah, I've got the Blues of You!

Hold Thou my right arm, O Lord,
And dwell continually with me.
As I lift my feet in Thy path

My soul is refreshed
And a new spirit reborn.
As Your name is mentioned
I AM FREE!

O BAHA'U'LLAH, I love these Blues of You!

I pray, forget not this insane lover, O My Lord
Josian Dholah
DECEMBER 2005

Soar

As the Ancient Beauty bestows upon us Life,
So shall the Nightingale of Paradise call us Home again.

As the Soul of ours becomes free from all earthly limitations and bonds,
So shall the bird soar in the boundless imperishable dominion of the Divine.

As the Concourse on High Welcomes us to His Presence,
So shall the Blessed Beauty warmly embrace us with His grace.

As the mystical melodious intones of
Sincere prayers perfume all the heavens and the earth,
So shall they immerse the fish in the Glorious Ocean of forgiveness.

As the Celestial Youth strings the pearls of our virtues
And generously presents the robe of His compassion and mercy,
So shall we twirl and twist with woe and reverence, With joy and deferrence
Toward the heavenly perfect abode of ours.

As the King of Kings justifiably inks His Judgement Pen
To assess justly our good and bad,
So shall the billowing Crimson Sea intercede,
Making ink of the essence of the martyrs hearts
To cleanse and purge from all colours except white.

As we look back on our past in the physical plane,
So shall we remind our loved ones, departed and still alive,
As we intend to surpass the whole Universe
To call on our family members, friends and comrades.

This occurs within the swiftness of light;
No boundaries and no veils exists,
All mysteries are far deeper than it was.
This Kingdom embodies only
Stages of human progression and heavenly light.
Darkness is Non-Existence and Mortal;
It has no effect there at all.

Harmony with God's will, Peace with our fellows
Builds communion forever with our spiritual beloved ones.

As we approach our self-knowledge and our self-recognition,
So shall we raise our spiritual hands up for supplication and beseech
Towards the Almighty Threshold of the Lord of Hosts,
So shall we also pray for the prevailing of ease and comfort,
For the building up of bonds of love and unity in the world:

"O God, and the God of all Names
Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God!
By the life of Thy chosen ones,
Those whose lofty souls circle Thou round!
Have mercy upon Thy humankind
Bestow upon them a heart which,
Like unto glass, may be illumined with the light of Thy love!
Help them, O Thou Kind Lord,
To mirror forth the Kingdom of God on the globe.
In the heavenly assemblage of ours
We give ears unto a mystical tune,
Ascending and reflecting from the contingent sphere
In submission, meditation and contemplation.
Deal with him, O Thou Who forgivest
The sins of men and concealest their faults
As beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounty
And the Ocean of Thy grace.
Accept from him that which they
Have achieved in Thy days.
O Thou who are the Lord of all men!
Grant them, O my God, that Thy servants
May consort with Thy saints and Thy Messengers
In the heavenly places that the pen cannot tell nor the tongue can recount!"

...because,
As the Ancient Beauty bestows upon us Life,
So shall the Nightingale of Paradise call us Home again.

© ~ Rouhieh
July, 2006