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.
36After 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.