The essence of detachment is for man to turn his face towards the courts of the Lord, to enter His Presence, behold His Countenance, and stand as witness before Him.

The essence of understanding is to testify to one’s poverty, and submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All-Powerful.

The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love.

The essence of charity is for the servant to recount the blessings of his Lord, and to render thanks unto Him at all times and under all conditions.

The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life.

The essence of true safety is to observe silence, to look at the end of things and to renounce the world.

The beginning of magnanimity is when man expendeth his wealth on himself, on his family and on the poor among his brethren in his Faith.

The essence of wealth is love for Me; whoso loveth Me is the possessor of all things, and he that loveth Me not is indeed of the poor and needy.  This is that which the Finger of Glory and Splendour hath revealed.

The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his Lord and set his heart on things ungodly.

The most burning fire is to question the signs of God, to dispute idly that which He hath revealed, to deny Him and carry one’s self proudly before Him.

The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His Glory, and this cannot be attained save through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation.

The essence of abasement is to pass out from under the shadow of the Merciful and seek the shelter of the Evil One.

The source of error is to disbelieve in the One true God, rely upon aught else but Him, and flee from His Decree.

True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his self.

The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye.

Thus have We instructed thee, manifested unto thee Words of Wisdom, that thou mayest be thankful unto the Lord, thy God, and glory therein amidst all peoples.

LAWH-I-MAQSUD (TABLET OF MAQSUD)

Out of respect, the Baha’is, rather than addressing Baha’u’llah directly, would write to His amanuensis, Mirza Aqa Jan, surnamed ‘Servant of God’ and ‘Servant-in-Attendance’.  The reply would be in the form of a letter from Mirza Aqa Jan quoting words of Baha’u’llah, but would, in fact, be dictated in its entirety by Baha’u’llah.  Thus all parts of the Tablet, even those which ostensibly are the words of Mirza Aqa Jan himself, are Sacred Scripture revealed by Baha’u’llah.  The Tablet of Maqsud is in this form.  It was addressed to Mirza Maqsud, one of the early believers living at that time in Damascus and Jerusalem.

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of Majesty and Power