A Tablet of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá

The Lamp of the assemblage of the high-minded, the Prince of the enlightened, Shaykhu’r-Ra’ís,—may he be a ray of God and a dazzling moon!

O kind Friend! What thy musk-laden pen hath inscribed bestowed joy and brought delight. It was not a dew-drop but an ocean; not a lamp but a beam of sunlight. Praise and glory be to God, Who hath endowed creation with such beatitude and conferred such tranquillity upon the hearts, and by imparting heavenly knowledge made the friends stars of the East brilliant moons, so that they would enkindle the light of understanding, and with the showers of the rain of their utterance make human hearts the envy of meadows and rose-gardens. O kind Friend! The All-Bountiful God guided thee and led thee to traverse mountains and deserts, to reach the city of thine ancestors. That land stood in great need of one mighty soul like that loving friend to enter therein, engage in discussion, show the Way of God, embellish the assemblage of men with mysteries unveiled, and watch over their spiritual lives so that they might abide under the shade of the tree of hope. Thou shouldst speak forth, wax eloquent, divulge the hidden secrets, share the Word of God, inaugurate a school of the Kingdom and give instruction in heavenly Books, ignite a shining lamp, and burn down the veils of the imaginings of the ignorant. May thy soul be joined to the Beloved.

—‘Abdu’l‑Bahá