All that thou hast heard regarding Muhammad the son of
Hasan [1] -- may the souls of all that
are immersed in the oceans of the spirit be offered up for His sake—is true
beyond the shadow of a doubt, and we all verily bear allegiance unto Him. But
the Imáms of the Faith have fixed His abode in the city of Jábulqá, [2] which
they have depicted in strange and marvellous signs. To interpret this city
according to the literal meaning of the tradition would indeed prove
impossible, nor can such a city ever be found. Wert thou to search the
uttermost corners of the earth, nay probe its length and breadth for as long as
God’s eternity hath lasted and His sovereignty will endure, thou wouldst never
find a city such as they have described, for the entirety of the earth could
neither contain nor encompass it. If thou wouldst lead Me unto this city, I
could assuredly lead thee unto this holy Being, Whom the people have conceived
according to what they possess and not to that which pertaineth unto Him! Since
this is not in thy power, thou hast no recourse but to interpret symbolically
the accounts and traditions that have been reported from these luminous souls.
And, as such an interpretation is needed for the traditions pertaining to the
aforementioned city, so too is it required for this holy Being. When thou hast
understood this interpretation, thou shalt no longer stand in need of
“transformation” or aught else.
Know then that, inasmuch as all the Prophets are but one and
the same soul, spirit, name, and attribute, thou must likewise see them all as
bearing the name Muhammad and as being the son of Hasan, as having appeared
from the Jábulqá of God’s power and from the Jábulsá of His mercy. For by
Jábulqá is meant none other than the treasure-houses of eternity in the
all-highest heaven and the cities of the unseen in the supernal realm. We bear
witness that Muhammad, the son of Hasan, was indeed in Jábulqá and appeared
therefrom. Likewise, He Whom God shall make manifest abideth in that city until
such time as God will have established Him upon the seat of His sovereignty.
We, verily, acknowledge this truth and bear allegiance unto each and every one
of them. We have chosen here to be brief in our elucidation of the meanings of
Jábulqá, but if thou be of them that truly believe, thou shalt indeed
comprehend all the true meanings of the mysteries enshrined within these
Tablets.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
[1]The twelfth Imám, Muhammad al-Mahdí, the son of Hasan
al-‘Askarí.
[2] According to Shí’ih traditions, the twin cities
of Jábulqá and Jábulsá are the dwelling place of the Hidden Imám (the Promised
One), whence He will appear on the Day of Resurrection.
