M E M O R A N D U M
From: Research Department
To: The Universal House of Justice
Date: 2 April 1996
Date of Revelation of Tablet of Ishraqat
In an email message of 9 February 1996, Mr. Sen McGlinn asks about the
date on which the Tablet of Ishraqat, specifically the Eighth Ishraq, was
revealed. He observes that none of the sources available to him in English
provide a date, and that unless the date was recorded by the amanuenses, it is
his assumption that "a dating would have to be based on correlating internal
indications with historical events". To this end, Mr. McGlinn cites a number
of passages from the Tablet of Ishraqat containing allusions to historical
events and he requests the assistance of the Research Department in investi-
gating this matter.1 We offer the following information based on our study
of the resources available at the Baha'i World Centre:
A year ago an oppressor ruled over this city, and at every instant
caused fresh harm.3 The Date of Revelation of Tablet of Ishraqat
2 April 1996 In the course of trying to determine the date of the revelation of the
Tablet of Ishraqat, we gleaned the following information which may be of
interest to Mr. McGlinn concerning the structure of this Tablet: These are verses We sent down previously, and We have sent
them unto thee, that thou mayest be acquainted with what their
lying tongues have spoken, when God came unto them with might and
sovereignty.7 1. See "Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas" (Wilmette:
Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1995), p. 122, p. 123, p. 125, p. 131.
2. This Tablet is published in "Athar-i-Qalam-i-A'la" (Tihran: Baha'i
Publishing Trust, 132 B.E.), vol. 6, pp. 51-59. It has not, as yet, been
translated into English.
3. "Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 125. 4. See "God Passes By" (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 232.
5. H. M. Balyuzi, "Baha'u'llah: The King of Glory" (Oxford: George Ronald,
1991). See pp. 366-371.
6. "Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", pp. 117-119.
7. ibid., pp. 119-20.
8. For a discussion, see Adib Taherzadeh, "The Revelation of Baha'u'llah"
(Oxford: George Ronald, 1987), vol. 4, pp. 153-54, p. 405.
9. "Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", pp. 121-22.
10. See "The Revelation of Baha'u'llah", vol. 4, pp. 16-17.
11. "Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", pp. 132-33.
The Tablet to Varqa has not, to date, been published, nor translated
into English.