THE TABLET OF THE BELL (LAWH AN-NAQUS )

BY

BAHA'ULLAH

Translated by Denis MacEoin

He is the Mighty.

This is the Garden of Paradise, wherein hath been raised the melody of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Wherein have been established the maidens of eternity whom none hath touched save God, the Mighty, the Holy. Wherein the Nightingale of Eternity hath warbled upon the branches of the Lote-tree beyond which there is no passing, with a melody that hath filled with astonishment the minds of all men. Wherein is that which bringeth the poor ones nigh unto the shores of the ocean of wealth and guideth mankind unto the word of God. This, verily, is a manifest truth.

In Thy name "He", for Thou art, verily, He O He.

O monk of divine unity, toll the bell, for the Day of God hath been made manifest and the Beauty of the All-Glorious hath been established upon the Throne of manifest holiness.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Hud of the decree, blow upon the trumpet in the name of God, the Mighty, the Generous, for the tabernacle of holiness bath been established upon the throne of inaccessible glory.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Countenance of Eternity! Strike with the fingers of the spirit upon the rebec of a wondrous holiness, for the Beauty of the Essence hath appeared clothed in a robe of shining silk.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O angel of light, blow into the horn in this revelation, for the letter ha' hath come riding upon a letter of ancient majesty.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Nightingale of Splendour, warble upon the twigs in this garden, singing the name of the Beloved, for the Beauty of the Rose hath appeared from behind a heavy veil.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Songbird of Paradise, trill thou upon the branches in this wondrous age, for God hath shone forth upon all that dwell in the kingdom of earth.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Bird of Eternity, soar in this sky, for the bird of faithfulness bath winged its flight in an atmosphere of blessed nearness.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Inhabitants of Paradise, sing and chant in the most melodious and charming of voices, for the song of God hath been raised behind pavilions of exalted holiness.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Inhabitants of the Kingdom, intone the name of the Beloved, for the Beauty of the Cause bath shone forth from behind the veils adorned with a shining spirit.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Names, bedeck the farthest reaches of heaven, for the Greatest Name hath come riding upon the clouds of a mighty holiness.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Attributes upon the most glorious horizon, make yourselves ready to enter the presence of God, for the breezes of holiness have breathed from the Spot wherein His Essence is hidden, and this is, verily, a manifest grace.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Paradise of oneness, rejoice within thyself, for there hath appeared the paradise of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Knowing.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Heaven of Glory, give thanks unto God in thine essence, for the heaven of holiness hath been lifted up in the sky of a gracious heart.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Sun of the kingdom of the world, cover thy face, for the Sun of Eternity bath shone forth from the horizon of a resplendent dawn.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O earth of knowledge, swallow all that you know, for the Earth of Knowledge hath been spread out within the Self of God, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than lie.

O Lamp of the kingdom of the world, extinguish thyself, for the Lamp of God hath shone within the niche of eternity and the peoples of the heavens and the earth have been illumined by it.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O oceans of the earth! Cease ye the rolling of your waves, for the Red Sea bath surged at a wondrous command.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Peacock of Oneness, cry out amidst the bushes of the heavenly kingdom, for the melody of God hath appeared from every direction, near at hand.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Bird of Eternity, crow in the thicket of the kingdom on high, for the Herald of God hath cried out from every unapproachable direction.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O Concourse of lovers, rejoice in your souls, for the days of separation are come to an end and the appointed time is come wherein the Best-Beloved hath appeared in the Beauty of an inaccessible glory.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

O People of mystic knowledge, be ye glad in your inmost beings, for the days of parting are past and certitude is come and the Beauty of the Youth hath shone forth with the ornament of holiness in the paradise of a mighty name.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is.none other than He.

Praised be Thou, O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy Day, whereon all days have been resurrected, and by Thy enumerating from it both former and latter times.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is. none other than He.

And by Thy Name which Thou hast made a monarch in the kingdom of names and a ruler over all that are in heaven and on earth.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

That Thou mayest make these souls independent of all save Thee and bring them nigh unto Thee and cause them to be detached from all others save Thee. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Compassionate.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

Make them, then, O my God, among those who testify to Thy oneness and among those who submit their selves to Thy singleness, in such wise that they may behold none else but Thee and gaze upon none save Thee. Thou art, verily, Powerful and Mighty to accomplish this.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

Create, then, in their hearts, O my Beloved, the fire of Thy love, to such an extent that the mention of all save Thee may be consumed by it, that they may witness within their selves that Thou hast ever been in the loftiness of eternity, and that there has never been anything with Thee, and that Thou art as Thou bast ever been; no god is there save Thee, the Generous, the Mighty.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

For, should Thy servants who seek to ascend unto the heights of Thy oneness, establish themselves in the mention of aught else save Thee, the decree of unity shall have no validity in respect of them, nor shall the title of singleness find any conformation in them.

Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

And Praised be Thou, O God, my God. Since this is how matters stand, send down from the clouds of Thy compassion that which shall cleanse the hearts of Thy lovers and sanctify the breasts of them that adore Thee. Raise them up, then, through Thy exaltation and cause them to be victorious over all that dwell on earth. This is that which Thou didst promise Thy friends by Thy unerring words: "We desire to show Our grace unto them that have been made wretched on the earth and to make them leaders and to make them Our heirs."

Praised be Thou, O He; He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

(A di'a, pp. 141-53; Ayyam-i tis'a, pp. 1OO-6)
Reprinted from Denis MacEoin, Rituals in Babism and Baha'ism (London: British Academic Press/I.B. Tauris, 1994), pp. 169-172, by permission of the author.

Notes:

http://bahai-library.com/wilmette_lawh_naqus_notes

Text:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bahai/naqus/naqus.htm

And the Moon shall turn Red X

Lunar Eclipse December 21, 2010 - it was reported in the media that the last total eclipse was February 29, 1504. 
But see http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/LEprimer.html and http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/13oct_lunareclipse.html



There are three places where the moon [http://www.bing.com/search?FORM=MFESRP&publ=F560E314-9FE3-44A0-BDE4-39E8ED570E42&crea=STND_MFESRP_DynamicBrand_VIBR_LifestylesImg_1x1&q=How%20The%20Moon%20Effects%20Astrology] and blood are mentioned: The wording varies slightly between versions.

* Joel 2 v31 - The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.
* Acts 2 v20 - The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable dayof the Lord come;
* Revelation 6 v12 - And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_is_the_Bible_verse_regarding_the_moon_shall_turn_as_red_as_blood#ixzz19KH2K0Zr

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BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF BAHA'U'LLAH

National celebration of Birth Anniversary of Baha'u'llah

Birth Anniversary of Baha'u'llah -walking in the heavenly abode

                                                                                       

November, 2010

KING5 and Public Select Mona Foundation as 2010 - 2011 Best of Western Washington Local Charities One of Seattle's top television stations, KING5, has announced that the Mona Foundation has been chosen by online voting as the #1 Best Local Charity in Western Washington!  More than 120 worthy charities were nominated by the public and online voting was carried on for many weeks.  With the support of YOU Mona Foundation achieved the top spot.  Thank you to all who voted!  You can watch Rainn Wilson surprise Mahnaz with the award on KING5 Evening Magazine here.     **Follow us on  **   A Day and Night to Remember: Rainn Wilson and Friends Come Out to Support Mona Foundation   October 23rd will be a day and night to cherish in Mona Foundation's history - from start to finish celebrities and the Seattle public and local organizations showed their support for Mona through a series of amazing events that not only raised money for the projects we partner with but also put the Foundation's name "on the map" in the Pacific Northwest.   The day started with the opening of the new Kiehl's skin care store in an upscale Bellevue, WA mall.  Rainn Wilson helped opened the new store, autographed pictures, and presented a $15,000 donation check from Kiehl's to Mahnaz Javid.  Thank you Kiehl's!   Next on the day's agenda was a free public event at the Paramount Theatre.  Rainn talked about the importance of service and what it means to him and how he incorporates service into his life.  Most of the audience consisted of college students.  Rainn also signed copies of his new book 'Soulpancake' for the students.     An early evening "VIP" cocktail reception drew key supporters at the lovely Steelhead Diner in downtown Seattle, followed by the main fundraising event.  Held at the prestigous and historic Paramount Theatre, more than 2,500 people enjoyed an amazing evening of humor and music presented by Rainn and more than 15 other actors and musicians including Craig Robinson (also from "The Office"), Presidents of the United States of America, Andy Grammer, Sean Nelson, The Long Winters, and Blitzen Trapper.  The lively evening culminated in a song that Rainn had the lyrics written specifically for the Mona Foundation.  An after party concluded the evening with approx. 100 lucky folks that got to mingle with Rainn and the cast of the evening.    We could not have asked for a better day and night, or a better group of very talented individuals to celebrate Mona Foundation, raise some money and help create and spread awareness in the Pacific Northwest for the work that Mona is involved with around the world!   Haiti Needs Us More Than Ever    The needs of the people - and especially the needs of the children of Haiti - are growing and Mona is taking up the challenge to help meet those needs.  The four schools that Mona Foundation supports - Anis Zunuzi and the Zunuzi Annex for street children, George Marcellus, and New Horizon were among the few schools still standing after the devestating earthquake earlier this year - and with clean running water supplied through infrared water purification, children can now drink clean water.   The schools' 2010 goals are to double the capacity of students (to 500 children at Zunuzi, 100 at Zunuzi Annex, 200 at George Marcellus and 200 at New Horizon).  Tuition has become an even greater hardship for the parents of these students.  At just $30/student per month it is still beyond the means of most families in Haiti.  There is also a desperate need to build dining room facilities to properly feed students at Zunuzi.  Will you help us keep our 1000 children in school in Haiti?   For more information on our schools in Haiti and how you can help visit our website   Please forward this email to family and friends who may be interested in these stories and in learning more about Mona Foundation and ask them to Email Us to sign up to receive announcements and news by email.     Mona Foundation, 218 Main Street, Suite 404, Kirkland, WA  98033.  425.743.4550   monafoundation@monafoundation.org, www.monafoundation.org

 

Mona Foundation, 218 Main St., Suite 404, Kirkland, WA 98033 

THE CUCUMBER

WHAT A LITTLE GEM THE CUCUMBER IS. I WILL LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY NOW.      1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. 2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours. 3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance. 4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area. 5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!! 6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!! 7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation. 8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water. 9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone! 10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams. 11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath. 12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean. 13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!! Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems..

THE GOLDEN RULE: LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH

 

        African Traditional Religions One going to take a
pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it
on himself to feel how it hurts. Yoruba Proverb
(Nigeria)

        Bahá'í Faith And if thine eyes be turned
towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that
which thou choosest for thyself. Epistle to the Son of
the Wolf, 30

        Buddhist Faith Hurt not others with that which
pains yourself. Udana-Varga

        Christian Faith All things whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for
this is the law and the prophets. The Gospel of
Matthew Matt 7:12, Luke 6:31

        Hindu Faith This is the sum of duty: do naught to
others which if done to thee would cause thee pain.
The Mahabharata

        Jewish Faith What is hateful to you, do not to
your fellow men. That is the entire Law; all the rest is
commentary. The Talmud

        Muslim Faith No one of you is a believer until he
desires for his brother that which he desires for
himself. Hadith

        Islam Not one of you is a believer until he loves
for his brother what he loves for himself. Forty
Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

        Do not do unto others what angers you if done to
you by others. Isocrates 436-338 BCE

        An it harm none, do what thou wilt. Wiccan Rede

        some other information from various sources:
Tzu-kung asked, 'Is there a single word which can be
a guide to conduct throughout one's life?' The
Master said, 'It is perhaps the word shu. Do not
impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'
Analects, 15.24

        Refraining from doing what we blame in others.
By Thales Diogenes Laertius, vol I, page 39

        Christianity: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. There is more to it than that In the book of
Matthew, Chapter 7 verse 12, and says Therefore all
things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the
prophets. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

        Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind. This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. Christianity. Bible, Matthew
22.36-40

        Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705 One who you think
should be hit is none else but you. One who you think
should be governed is none else but you. One who you
think should be tortured is none else but you. One
who you think should be enslaved is none else but you.
One who you think should be killed is none else but
you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after
comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer.
Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others
nor does he make others do so.

        Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18
Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to
them. Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12

        Tsekung asked, Is there one word that can
serve as a principle of conduct for life? Confucius
replied, It is the word shu--reciprocity: Do not do to
others what you do not want them to do to you.
Confucianism. Analects 15.23

        A man should wander about treating all
creatures as he himself would be treated. Jainism.
Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

        Try your best to treat others as you would wish
to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is
the shortest way to benevolence. Confucianism.
Mencius VII.A.4

        Hinduism One should not behave towards others
in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the
essence of morality. All other activities are due to
selfish desire. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva113.8

        Leviticus 19.18: Quoted by Jesus in Matthew
22.36-40. Mencius VII.A.4 and Analects 15.23: Cf.
Analects 6.28.2, p. 975. Comparing oneself to others
in such terms as Just as I am so are they, just as
they are so am I, he should neither kill nor cause
others to kill.

        Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2 The Ariyan
disciple thus reflects, Here am I, fond of my life, not
wanting to die, fond of pleasure and averse from pain.
Suppose someone should rob me of my life... it would
not be a thing pleasing and delightful to me. If I, in
my turn, should rob of his life one fond of his life, not
wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and averse from
pain, it would not be a thing pleasing or delightful to
him. For a state that is not pleasant or delightful to
me must also be to him also; and a state that is not
pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that
upon another? As a result of such reflection he
himself abstains from taking the life of creatures and
he encourages others so to abstain, and speaks in
praise of so abstaining. Buddhism. Samyutta Nikaya
v.353

        A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to
him, Make me a proselyte, on condition that you teach
me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot.
Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in
his hand. When he went to Hillel, he said to him, What
is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is
the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go
and learn. Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a

        Zoroastrian Faith Whatever is disagreeable to
yourself do not do unto others. Shayast-na-Shayast
13:29

---

Living Waters 

Living Waters

This servant appealeth to every diligent and enterprising soul to exert his utmost endeavour and arise to rehabilitate the conditions in all regions and to quicken the dead with the living waters of wisdom and utterance, by virtue of the love he cherisheth for God, the One, the Peerless, the Almighty, the Beneficent. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 172)

As I mentioned in a previous post, October 15th is Blog Action Day and the focus this year is on the importance of clean water. You may already be familiar with many of the outrageous statisticsrelated yet another crisis of a world that seems to have lost its mind. If not, here are a few:
884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eightof the world's population. (WHO/UNICEF)

2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population. (WHO/UNICEF)

1.4 million children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unclean water and poor sanitation - 4,000 child deaths a day or one child every 20 seconds. This equates to 160 infant school classrooms lost every single day to an entirely preventable public health crisis. (WHO/WaterAid)

Thinking about this issue of clean water, I can't help but consider it a kind of metaphor for a collapsing civilization panting after the living waters of the spirit, choking on the dust of materialism's undelivered promises of universal prosperity and progress. This crisis, like so many others, reflects the inevitable consequences of a human race divided against itself, as yet only dimly conscious of its oneness and failing to come to grips with the fundamental transformation of the social order that such consciousness ultimately demands.

Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind -- the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve-- is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family...It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced...It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world -- a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units. (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 42)

Achieving access to clean water for all, like virtually every other challenge facing humanity today, will require more than the mechanics of international development, the advocacy and generosity of well-meaning people, or even that rarely discovered gem of heavenly statesmanship. It will require that very phenomenon whose necessity is so frequently acknowledged and yet is so quickly sacrificed when it conflicts with the dictates of personal ambition, partisanship, or prejudice: unity. Baha'u'llah put it this way:

"My object is none other than the betterment of the world and the tranquillity of its peoples. The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 286)


SOURCE -BAHAI THOUGHTS