The Revelation of the Tablet of the World

A retelling based on The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 4, by Adib Taherzadeh, chapter 22, which tells how the Lawḥ-i-Dunyá (Tablet of the World) came to be revealed. Words in quotation marks are from the Tablet in the authorized translation, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

On 19 May 1891 seven Bahá'ís were put to death in a single day in Yazd, on the orders of the governor, Maḥmúd Mírzá, the Jalálu'd-Dawlih. The news reached Bahá'u'lláh while He was staying in Haifa. For nine days He revealed no verses, and no one was admitted into His presence. The first Tablet He revealed after those nine days was the Lawḥ-i-Dunyá, the Tablet of the World.

It was revealed in honour of Áqá Mírzá Áqá, a nephew of the Báb's wife, who had recently spent nine months with his family in Bahá'u'lláh's presence. Bahá'u'lláh handed a copy to his son, Ḥájí Mírzá Buzurg. In the Tablet He addresses Áqá Mírzá Áqá directly: "Thy day of service is now come."

At that time two well-known believers, Mullá 'Alí-Akbar and Ḥájí Amín, were in chains in the prison of Qazvín. The Tablet opens with them: "Praise and thanksgiving beseem the Lord of manifest dominion Who hath adorned the mighty prison with the presence of their honours 'Alí-Akbar and Amín, and hath illumined it with the light of certitude, constancy and assurance."

The Tablet names what had happened in Yazd: "The tyrant of the land of Yá (Yazd), committed that which hath caused the Concourse on High to shed tears of blood." It also records something that had gladdened Bahá'u'lláh. In 1889 a believer, Ḥájí Muḥammad-Riḍá, had been murdered in 'Ishqábád. The Russian court sentenced the murderers to death, and the Bahá'ís of the city then asked the authorities to pardon them. The sentences were commuted. Bahá'u'lláh writes of "the event which hath truly cheered the eye of the world, and is none other than the intercession of the friends with the high authorities in favour of their enemies."

He calls on His followers to look beyond themselves: "O people of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men." And He states that His message is for everyone: "The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only."

The Tablet then recalls five principles that Bahá'u'lláh had revealed in the Crimson Book while in the prison of 'Akká, "the fundamental principles for the administration of the affairs of men." The ministers of the House of Justice are to "promote the Lesser Peace so that the people of the earth may be relieved from the burden of exorbitant expenditures." Languages are to be reduced to one common language, taught in all the schools of the world. People are to hold fast to whatever promotes fellowship, kindliness and unity. Everyone, man or woman, is to set aside a portion of what they earn for the training and education of children. The fifth concerns farming: "Special regard must be paid to agriculture. Although it hath been mentioned in the fifth place, unquestionably it precedeth the others."

This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 4, by Adib Taherzadeh, and the Tablet itself in Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

Taherzadeh, A.. (1987). *The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh (Vol. 4 — Mazra'ih & Bahjí, 1877-92)*. George Ronald.