Translation, Commentary Surih of Kawthar

That is, in truth, a sublime guide to the mystery of the Transcendent World of This ‘Alí (‘álami’l-‘Alaví). Recognise thou the glorious station of This Wine, Who is both the inner mystery of the Heart within the stages of descent, and the first Dust, the station of body, within the stages of ascent. Verily, men of understanding, those who abide upon the throne of the Names and Attributes, know not of that which is “there”, of the manifestations of divinity, revelations of dominion, disclosures of earthly sovereignty (mulk) and the fragrances of the kingdom, except through that which is “here” in this world. Verily, all that We just revealed for thee of the meaning of the rivers pertaineth to the stations of creation (takvín). Otherwise, in the realm of revelation (tadvín), the rivers would not be manifest save after the return of the Family of God, the blessings of God rest upon Them. For today, the earth hath not yet been illumined through the Light of its Lord. That, verily, pertaineth to an unmistakeable Promised Day. 36 After thou hast recognised the diverse attributes of the invigorating water of the Kawthar Fount, thou must understand that in truth it is one and the same water, which is called at each stage by the name thereof. Should it stream forth in the forest (ajamah) of Divinity (láhút), it is called by that name; should it flow out in the forest of Dominion (jabarút), it is called by that title; should it pour out in the forest of the worldly kingdom (mulk), it is called by its feature; should it gush out in the forest of the Kingdom (malakút), it is called by that name; should it run forth in the world of the Supreme Cloud of Subtlety (‘amá’), it is called by that same name; should it rush forth in the world of Decree (qadá’), it is called by the name Decree; should it stream forth in the world of Confirmation (imdá’), it is called by the name Confirmation; should it flow in the station of alteration (badá’), it is called by the name thereof. Verily, the use of these names causeth those who fix their gaze upon the veils of attributes to fail to discern the true import of the signs, or to comprehend that naught liveth except by the crystal water of Kawthar; and that those names and attributes are merely the praise of its own self, and the description of its everlasting life. Behold the living water of Kawthar mentioned in the Qur’án. It is verily through that Eternal Kawthar that this kawthar is endowed with life. This kawthar streameth forth, in the station of inward meaning, out of the well spring of the right hand side (yamín) of the heart of Fatimih, the

36 This is, after previous discussion of the true station of the Báb which is the unity of both prophethood and vicegerency, partly for the sake of wisdom, and partly a reference to the future revelation.