Lessons from the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Farzin Aghdasi

From a study of this book many lessons can be derived from among the teachings of Baha’u’llah as expounded by Himself. The emphasis here is to take note of some of the more basic elements rather than the more abstruse subjects. It should be always kept in mind that the Words of God have multiple meanings and in one sense they form an inexhaustible treasury of subjects to be explored and lessons to be learnt.

In the study of this book, two points of view can be maintained: 1) the specific historical view of who was being addressed, under what circumstances and what events were being referred to; 2) the more general view of its relevance to our own lives and circumstances, and the intellectual, social and spiritual context of today. Keeping both of these views will help us better understand the lessons.

Paragraph 1: “Praise be to God, the Eternal that perisheth not, the Everlasting that declineth not, the Self-Subsisting that altereth not.”

Lesson 1: Establishes Baha’i teachings about God, as very similar to Islam.

P1: “He it is Who is transcendent in His sovereignty,…”

L2: The notion of sovereignty of God has implications for the establishment of the “Kingdom of God on Earth”, and the organization of human affairs under the rule of the laws of God.

P1: “…Who is manifest through His signs, and is hidden through His mysteries.”

L3: The teaching that God is unknowable except through his signs; this concept is foreign to Christians (among others) who emphasize a personal relationship with God.

P1: “He it is at Whose bidding the standard of the Most Exalted Word hath been lifted up in the world of creation, …”

L4: The revelation of Baha’u’llah is not of His own choosing, but at the bidding of God.

P1: “…and the banner of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth" raised amidst all peoples.”

L5: This is one of the most fundamental teachings of Baha’u’llah; it has been repeated in His Most Holy Book, and taught to us in many prayers. Among other things it has the implication that if and when (after recognizing and accepting the source of the revelation) I come to disagree with one of His teachings, I must accept his precepts, despite the fact that I cannot understand them. It requires divine assistance for one to overcome one’s intellectual tests and barriers. Some Baha’is have difficulty with this principle and mistakenly invoke the concept of “independent investigation of truth” to effectively choose what they wish to believe or accept of God’s teachings. (This subject may require further discussion and reflection).

P1: “He it is Who hath revealed His Cause for the guidance of His creatures,…”

L6: The purpose of the Cause is established; a “guide” may be in intellectual, spiritual, and/or practical realms.

P1: “…and sent down His verses to demonstrate His Proof and His Testimony,…”

L7: Baha’u’llah’s efforts at “proving” things shows His regard for man’s distinctive quality of “rational mind”, and the pre-eminence of the “faculty of reason” in our Faith. It is the source of the teachings on the harmony of science and religion.

P1: “… and embellished the preface of the Book of Man with the ornament of utterance through His saying: "The God of Mercy hath taught the Qur'án, hath created man, and taught him articulate speech." ”

L8: Traditionally in Middle Eastern communities (and elsewhere) the first page of important (religious or otherwise spiritual) books were “illuminated” with calligraphic and ornamental art. (As is the first page of the Arabic publication of the annotated Kitab-i-Aqdas, for instance).

This passage is full of multiple meanings. As one example, Baha’u’llah’s analogy of the human soul to a book further establishes His high regard for learning. “Articulate speech” (presumably not an empty one) becomes our true ornament. When such an ornament is used in the promotion of the Cause (and therefore the promotion of justice, etc.), the beauty of the soul of the believer shines through.

Aside: One school of thought in Islam uses this quotation to argue for the “ancient” (i.e. not created in time) nature of the Word of God as revealed in the Qur’an. In other words they believe that the Qur’an was created by God prior to the creation of mankind, and that the role of prophet Muhammad was merely to bring it to this visible world. To my limited understanding Baha'is do not believe in this as it violates the principle of (a two way) interaction between the Manifestation of God and mankind's progress which is the basis of our theory of progressive revelation.

P1: “No God is there but Him, the One, the Peerless, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beneficent.”

L9: Normally the choice of attributes of God at the end of a passage in the Writings reflects and reinforces the subject at hand.

P2: “The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty, and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme Mediator,…”

L10: That mediation between God and us is needed, as there can be no direct contact between us and the divine essence, is explained in the Iqan.

P2: “ the Most Exalted Pen, …”

L11: The book of religion, (the totality of believers and laws etc. in a religion) made up from repetitions of the letters (early believers) were created by the Point (i.e. the Manifestation). The Bab was the Primal Point, and Baha’u’llah was the Most Exalted Pen from which all were created.

The simple form of this teaching is that: Baha’u’llah, the Supreme Manifestation of God, is the source of all light and life.

P2: “…Him Whom God hath made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Dayspring of His most exalted attributes.”

L12: No doubt is left for the Shaykh as Whom he is receiving the Epistle from!

P2: “Through Him the light of unity hath shone forth above the horizon of the world, and the law of oneness hath been revealed amidst the nations,…”

L13: The purpose and ultimate accomplishment of the Manifestation is expressed in terms of His social influence, rather than in individual salvation from some imaginary fall.

P2: “…nations, who, with radiant faces, have turned towards the Supreme Horizon, and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of

His knowledge: "Earth and heaven, glory and dominion, are God's, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Lord of grace abounding!" ”

L14: This is similar to the statement of Abdu’l-Baha during the laying of the cornerstone when he said that the temple is already built. The lesson for us is one of absolute certainty for the ultimate triumph of the Cause.

P3: “Give ear, O distinguished divine, unto the voice of this Wronged One.”

L15: Addressing the divine in a most polite manner; teaches us an etiquette for public discourse that should be observed even towards a most notorious and unjust adversary. The choice of the title “this Wronged One” clarifies the relationship.

P3: “He verily, counselleth thee for the sake of God, …”

L16: That is, Baha’u’llah is not seeking reprieve for Himself or His followers, nor is He asking for a favor.

P3: “…and exhorteth thee unto that which will cause thee to draw nigh unto Him under all conditions.”

L17: If the Shaykh chooses to listen to God, the ultimate beneficiary will be himself.

P3: “He, in truth, is the All-Possessing, the Exalted.”

L18: Because of these attributes, God is independent of man. Therefore the nature of the Epistle is not a petition. (In his role as the chief clergy in a principal city in 19^th century Iran, the Shaykh would normally receive petitions asking him for favor to forgive someone’s sins, to show clemency, or to commute someone’s sentence) (We may recall that Badi’s final act of defiance was, under the torture of branding and the threat of smashing his skull, to refuse to refer to Baha’u’llah’s tablet to the Shah as “a petition”.)

P3: “Know thou that the ear of man hath been created that it may hearken unto the Divine Voice on this Day…”

L19: To convince the Shaykh to listen, Baha’u’llah appeals to a general spiritual principle regarding the purpose of the creation of the ear. Reference to broad spiritual principles, therefore should be our method of reasoning in all matters.

P3: “…this Day that hath been mentioned in all the Books, Scriptures, and Tablets.”

L20: The starting point for the argument is the contents of the books that the Shaykh already considers as sacred. (In mathematical sciences the starting point is the set of axioms that the reader takes as being evidently true.)

P3: “Purify thou, first, thy soul with the waters of renunciation, …”

L21: Renunciation (of self-interest) is a pre-requisite for both (i) valid enquiry, and (ii) any devotional act.

P3: “…and adorn thine head with the crown of the fear of God,…”

L22: Fear may be born from a sense of danger (for the preservation of self), or out of love and respect, such as when “I fear that I may have offended you”. In Arabic, which is a very rich language in religious matters, there are several words for fear. The word that is used to denote fear of God is a different word than the one referring to the common form of fear in cases of danger. While the common emotion of fear is often undesirable, we are enjoined to cultivate the “fear of God” in ourselves. On the somewhat related subject of guilt, there is a rich literature due to its central role in some Christian beliefs.

Aside: It is not necessary for a person to know Persian or Arabic to be able to fathom Baha’i Writings. Nor does knowledge of these languages equip a person with some special insight. Admittedly, on rare occasions it might help to have access to the historical or cultural roots of certain words and expressions, but this should not be used as license to interpret the text. Often a sanctified heart and pure spirit can overcome deficiencies in formal knowledge of languages, but not vice versa.

P3: “…and thy temple with the ornament of reliance upon Him.”

L23: Reliance on God is enjoined. Reliance requires among other things an ever-present consciousness of God. This is often a difficult task particularly in secularized communities. The Kitab-i-Aqdas teaches us how to achieve this: “Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and place your trust in God, the Provider of all means.” Among mystics and particularly the Sufis this reliance was taken to exaggerated levels that led many to live monk like as dervishes who served little useful roles in the society.

P3: “Arise, then, and, with thy face set towards the Most Great House, the Spot round which, as decreed by the Eternal King, all that dwell on earth must circle, recite…”

L24: The concept of Qiblih was very familiar to the Shaykh. It represents the one most sacred spot/object/body with the closest association with the divine. During the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad the alteration of the Qiblih away from Jerusalem and towards Kaaba signified the change of focus and a new dispensation. The refusal of those who found it too difficult to change became their test. In another account the refusal of Satan (who was among the favored angels prior to his fall) to bow down to Adam (on the pretext that he was made of fire, while Adam of mud) cost him his position in the court of the divine. The symbolic act of turning to Qiblih then itself is the test. Turning to the right Qiblih is the beginning of redemption. The Bab had established the mortal temple of Him Whom God would make manifest as the Qiblih. Baha’u’llah accepted and confirmed it for the new dispensation.

P4-7: prayers; many lessons can also be derived from these.

P8: “O Shaykh!”

L25: This form of addressing this Mullah has a peculiar connotation; it certainly was not the common form of addressing the high priest. While it is a very polite form, it is devoid of flattery that was common at the time; In this form and in this context it probably struck fear in the heart of Muhammad Taqi.

P8: “Know thou that neither the calumnies which men may utter, nor their denials, nor any cavils they may raise, can harm him that hath clung to the cord of the grace, and seized the hem of the mercy, of the Lord of creation.”

L26: How directly and fearlessly does Baha’u’llah set the record right and establish the principle of interaction between the Shaykh (with his calumnies, denials and cavils) and the Baha’is. The condition for the believers is described by the imagery of one clinging to the cord (as if hanging from a cliff) or seizing the hem (as of a Master). Let the later generations of those who choose to oppose the Cause realize that in no wise can they harm the faithful believers.

P8: “By God! He, the Glory of God (Bahá), hath spoken not from mere impulse. He that hath given Him a voice is He that hath given a voice unto all things, that they may praise and glorify Him.”

L27: The reflection of God may be found in 4 places: (i) in the book of nature, (the study of this book leads to marveling at His signs; natural sciences are its formal presentation), (ii) in the Holy Books and Scriptures, (their proper study leads to spiritual civilization), (iii) in the person of the Manifestation, (His soul is the very reflection of the divine), (iv) in consultative Assemblies, (under proper conditions the will of God is manifested in these Assemblies). In this paragraph Baha’u’llah refers to two of these four.

P9: “They whose sight is keen, whose ears are retentive, whose hearts are enlightened, and whose breasts are dilated, recognize both truth and falsehood, and distinguish the one from the other.”

L28: Four qualities necessary for successful research. Investigative journalists, among others, may benefit from their considerations.

P9: “Recite thou this prayer that hath flowed from the tongue of this Wronged One, and ponder thereon with a heart rid of all attachment, and with ears that are pure and sanctified, be attentive to its meaning, that haply thou mayest inhale the breath of detachment and have pity upon thyself and upon others”

L 29: Meditation is practiced in various forms by many religions. It has a very special place in Eastern religions, and there are the more recent forms of it in a multiplicity of new religious movements. In some practices the focus is on “emptiness” and similar mental images. Baha’u’llah teaches the use of prayer as the basis of what to meditate on.

P 10: A prayer