Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh indexView entire book About the Sacred Writings online Main directory

About the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh

revealed after the Kitá-i-Aqdas

this edition Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1988

Note: all verse numbers added for online posting and were not in the original edition.

(excerpted from the Bibliography for the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh: 1877-92
consult original bibliography for key to abbreviations and further information)


Name of Tablet Primary Sources Secondary sources: first key texts then supplementary texts
Asl-i -Kullu'l -Khayr (Words of Wisdom) MaA 92-94; INBA30; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 153-158. passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 121-24 and elsewhere
Excerpts from other Tablets (Section 17, Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas) see a List of recipients and dates of Section 17 , "Excerpts from other Tablets."
Ishraqat (Splendours) Dated 9 Dhi Qa'dih 1302/21 August 1885(?). MaA 57-79. IQT 50-85. Earliest transcription in the International Archives is dated 12 Izzat 44 B.E. (1888), by Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 99-134. definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 122; some information from the Universal House of Justice regarding the history of this Tablet can be found at bahai-library.com/uhj/ishraqat.html; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 16, 116, 146-60, 162; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382; Eminent Baha'is 62; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 166, 215, 402.

brief discussion Juan Cole Modernity and the Millennium 35, 95, 158; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 71, 122-24
Kalimat-i- Firdawsiyyih (Words of Paradise) MaA 30-45; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 55-80. definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 126; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 175-76, 196, 214-26, 374; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 396, 402.

passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 79-80, 122-24; discussion of Tablet's prophecy in Gary Matthews Challenge of Baha'u'llah 86-87. The many mentions of, quotations from the memoirs of, and brief biographies of Haji Mirza Haydar Ali, in whose honor this Tablet was revealed, include a detailed chapter in Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, 237-250; Revelation of Baha'u'llah vol.1 28-29, vol.2 68-73, 184-202, 438-50, vol.3 99-104, 182-184, 218-19, 248-49, 335-36, 397-98, 401-02, vol.4 270-73, 325-26; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 75-77, 86-87, 91-92, 137-38, 170-76, and passing mentions in Baha'u'llah: King of Glory and 'Abdu'l-Baha: The Centre of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah. Haydar-Ali's book of memoirs has also been published, as Stories from the Delight of Hearts.
Kitab-i -'Ahd (The Book of the Covenant), the "Most Great Tablet," the "Crimson Book," the "Will and Testament of Baha'u'llah," the "Book of Baha'u'llah's Covenant," the "Epistle of the Covenant"; also Kitab-i -'Ahdi (The Book of My Covenant) Dating prob. prior to Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, since it is referred to there as the Crimson Tablet. Printed in AHM (reviewed by Abdu'l-Baha before printing) where the title is "Kitabu Ahdi" / Book of My Covenant; MaA 134-137; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 217-224; definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 132; date in A Basic Baha'i Chronology 120; definition of "Crimson Book" in Lights of Guidance (3rd ed.) 181; Some Answered Questions 60; Tablets of the Divine Plan 51-52; Promulgation of Universal Peace 323, 455-57, and elsewhere, passim; God Passes By 236-40; World Order of Baha'u'llah 133-34, 137-38, 145; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.1 37, 80, 134, 137; vol.2 389; vol.3 81, 371; vol.4 419-20, 434; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 420, 422-23, 425; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 99, 130-33, 142-44, 146, 149-50, 155-56, 158, 161-62, 164, 166-67, 175-76, 199-200, 218-19, 267, 276, 378, 381, 408-09; 'Abdul-Baha: Centre of the Covenant 50.

full discussion of the meaning of the Baha'i covenant, with coverage of this Tablet, in Moojan Momen "The Covenant," available online at bahai-library.com/encyclopedia/covenant.html; coverage of a variety of covenantal issues, including "the concept of covenant," in Wendy M. Helley "Covenant and the Foundations of Civil Society," in Baha'i World 1995-96, 185-222; mentions of this Tablet in Stories from the Delight of Hearts 121, 127; discussion in Eunice Braun The March of the Institutions 30 and passim; study (in Persian) by Shapour Rasekh in "Mahbub-i-'Alam" 534-49; brief discussion of covenantal symbolism in Stephen Lambden "Sinaitic Mysteries..." in Studies in Honour of...H.M. Balyuzi (SBBR vol.5) 122; David S. Ruhe Door of Hope... 58, 113-14; discussion of the style of Writings on the Covenant, including this Tablet, in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 153-64; passing mentions in ibid. 79, 123.
Lawh-i -Aqdas (The Most Holy Tablet, Tablet to the Christians, first Tablet to Faris the Physician) MaA 3-9; AQA1 138-144; Alwah-i Baha'u'llah... sura-yi haykal 163-172; St. Petersb. Ms see Rosen2 Ms246; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 7-17, Baha'i Studies Bulletin June 1993, for earlier trans. see Sours book A Study of Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Christians, 7. French trans. by Dreyfus and Chirazi 1905 bound with 'Les paroles cachees'; French transl. by Dreyfus Oeuvre1. Promised Day is Come 165-68 (related quotations); Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.3 6, 11; vol.4 277-35, 352-53.

The most lengthy examination of this Tablet is Michael Sours' 212-page book A Study of Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Christians. See also Jack McLean's review of this book in Journal of Baha'i Studies 2:3 87-89; mention in Christopher Buck "Baha'u'llah and Cross-Cultural Messianism" in In Iran (SBBR vol.3) 164-65; on Christianity in the Writings of Baha'u'llah (though with few mentions of this particular Tablet), see also Jack McLean "The Deification of Jesus" in World Order 14:3-4 (1989) 23-45, William S. Hatcher "Baha'u'llah to the Christians" in World Order 1:2 (1966) 25-33, Juan Cole "Behold the Man: Baha'u'llah on the Life of Jesus" in Journal of the American Academy of Religion LXV/1 47-71, available online at www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bahai/bhjesu.htm, and Cole "The Christian-Muslim Encounter and the Baha'i Faith" in World Order Winter 1977-78 14-28.
Lawh-i -Ard-i -Ba (Tablet of the Land of Ba [Beirut]) (place of publication in original language not listed); Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 225-229. Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 240-41; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 378-79.
Lawh-i -Bisharat (Tablet of Glad- Tidings) MaA 10-15; INBA30; MaM 116-24; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 19-30. definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 44-45; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 116, 158, 161-68; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 396.

discussion of Tablet in Juan Cole Modernity and the Millennium 73-74, 76, 158; comments on translation history David Hofman George Townshend 208-09; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 79, 106, 122-24.
Lawh-i -Burhan (Tablet of the Proof, Tablet of Reasoning) MaA 125-133; Translated Tablets of Baha'u'llah 203-216. Promised Day is Come 145, 159; God Passes By 219, 232-33; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 91-102, 425, 435; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382.

David S. Ruhe Door of Hope 91; discussion of style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 132-33.
Lawh-i -Dunya (Tablet of the World) Addressee Mirza Aqay-i-Afnan, known as Nur'u'd-Din. MaA 46-56; MaM 285-301; DiD 84-100; Partially trans. in Gleanings XLIII, Tablets of Baha'u'llah 81-98. Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.3 85; vol.4 288, 329-48, 401, 429; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382, 389, 410, 454.

The Tablet's relevance to agriculture is mentioned in Moojan Momen "Learning from History" in Journal of Baha'i Studies 2:2 60-61; discussion Juan Cole Modernity and the Millennium 35, 100-01; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 71, 123-24: some opinions on Baha'u'llah's teachings on politics in this Tablet in Juan Cole "Iranian Millenarianism and Democratic Thought in the 19th Century" in International Journal of Middle East Studies 24 (1992) 16-19, also available online at www-personal.umich.edu /~jrcole/bhconst.htm.
Lawh-i -Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom) INBA30; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 135-152. French trans. by Dreyfus and Chirazi bound with Les paroles cachees. date in A Basic Baha'i Chronology 125; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 33-49, 192, 373; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382; history of subject in Memorials of the Faithful 1-5 and Eminent Baha'is 112-15.

full definition in article by Juan Cole "Lawh-i Hikmat (The Tablet of Wisdom)" available online at bahai-library.com/encyclopedia/wisdom.html; Robert Stockman discusses the nature of revelation as described in this Tablet in "Revelation, Interpretation, and Elucidation in the Baha'i Writings" in Scripture and Revelation (Baha'i Studies vol.3) 58-61; discussion of Tablet's literary style and thematic structure in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 117-120, 234-47; passing mentions in ibid. 24, 125 and elsewhere, passim; though only indirectly about this Tablet, Susan Maneck's "Wisdom and Dissimulation: the use and meaning of hikmat in Baha'i writings and history" in Baha'i Studies Review 6 (1996) 11-23, also available online at bahai-library.com/articles/hikmat.html, ruminates on the exercise of hikmat (wisdom) in the Baha'i community; brief discussion of some theological issues regarding creation in Juan Cole "The Concept of Manifestation in the Baha'i Writings," Baha'i Studies monograph #9, pages 8-9, also available online at www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bhmanif.htm; detailed discussion of Baha'u'llah's teachings on early Greek and Hebrew history in Juan Cole "Problems of Chronology in Baha'u'llah's Tablet of Wisdom" in World Order 13:3 (1979) 24-39, also available online at h-net2.msu.edu/~bahai/diglib/articles/A-E/cole/chrono/chrono.htm.
Lawh-i -Karmil (Tablet of Carmel) MaA 1-2; Translated in Gleanings XI, Tablets of Baha'u'llah 1-6. definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 218-19; date in A Basic Baha'i Chronology 122; God Passes By 194, 273-78, 345; Messages to the Baha'i World 63; Mt. Carmel extolled in Citadel of Faith 95-97; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 351-67, 423; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 375-77; Covenant of Baha'u'llah 324, 326, 401.

brief comments about Tablet by Shoghi Effendi in Ruhiyyih Rabbani The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith 112, 231; definition of "Carmel" in Michael Sours, A Study of Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Christians, 37 note 29; discussion of Tablet's gender polarity in Paula Drewek "Feminine Forms of the Divine in Baha'i Scripture" in Journal of Baha'i Studies 5:1 18-19; John Walbridge describes at length the meaning of Mount Carmel for the Baha'i Faith in Sacred Acts... (Baha'i Studies vol.1) 144-49; Ramona Brown Memories of 'Abdu'l-Baha 115 includes a brief pilgrim's note from the Guardian about Mt. Carmel and the Tablet; Ruhiyyih Rabbani frequently mentions the Guardian's development of the site in The Priceless Pearl and The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, passim; detailed description of Mt. Carmel and mentions of Tablet in Ugo Giachery Shoghi Effendi 53-67 (passim), 170-74, 209-18; David S. Ruhe Door of Hope 71-72, 126-27, 133-45, 152-56, 162-63, 166-87, and elsewhere, passim; John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 150, 224-25; discussion of Baha'u'llah's prophecy re pitching His tent on mountain in Gary Matthews Challenge of Baha'u'llah 73-76.
Lawh-i -Maqsud (Tablet of Maqsud, Tablet of the Goal / The Desired One) Dated Dec. 31 1881 (JC). MaA 95-111; Lawh-i Maqsud, Egypt, 1920, 33 pages; Rosen2 Ms249. Persian; Translated in Gleanings CX, CXII, CXVII, CXXII; Tablets of Baha'u'llah 159-178. Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 235-36.

discussion Juan Cole Modernity and the Millennium 131-33, 158; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 71, 123-24.
Suriy-i -Vafa (Tablet of Fidelity), also "Lawh-i -Vafa" MaA 112-119; AQA4(i) 350-358; AQA4(rev) 418-423; Translated in Gleanings LXXIX, Tablets of Baha'u'llah 179-192. Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 205-13.

detailed discussion of literary style of this Tablet in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 114-16, 125-26.
Tajalliyat (Effulgences) MaA 25-29; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 45-54. Image of one page of the Tablet in "Revelation Writing" in Revelation of Baha'u'llah vol. 1, 110 definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 221; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 117, 118-44, 168; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382, 414; Eminent Baha'is 62.

discussion of symbolism in Stephen Lambden, "Sinaitic Mysteries...," in Studies in Honour of...H.M. Balyuzi (SBBR vol.5) 150-51; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 79, 123-24; brief discussion of some theological issues in Juan Cole "The Concept of Manifestation in the Baha'i Writings" Baha'i Studies monograph #9, 8-9, also available online at www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bhmanif.htm; discussion of the meaning of "tajalli" in ibid., passim.
Tarazat (Ornaments) Dhi'l-Hajjih 1305 (appr. 1888). MaA 16-24; Translation in Tablets of Baha'u'llah 31-45. definition in Basic Baha'i Dictionary 221; Rev. of Baha'u'llah vol.4 16, 18, 117; Baha'u'llah: King of Glory 382; Eminent Baha'is 62.

John Walbridge summarizes this Tablet in Sacred Acts... (Baha'i Studies vol.1) 252-54; passing comments on literary style in John S. Hatcher The Ocean of His Words 79, 123-24.


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