The writings of Bahá’u’lláh set out the uniqueness of His relationship with His daughter and disclose the dual aspects of that bond. For example, on the physical plane the Greatest Holy Leaf is described as “a leaf that hath sprung from this preexistent Root,” and the tenderness of the father’s love for His daughter is conveyed in the following testimony:
“How sweet thy presence before Me; how sweet to gaze upon thy face, to bestow upon thee My loving-kindness, to favour thee with My tender care, to make mention of thee in this, My Tablet—a Tablet which I have ordained as a token of My hidden and manifest grace unto thee.”[1]
Beyond the ties of physical relationship, Bahá’u’lláh underlines a transcendent purpose for her physical being, a purpose that relates to her recognition of His station as Manifestation of God and the fulfillment of her purpose in life. He states, "We have created thine eyes to behold the light of My countenance, thine ears to hearken unto the melody of My words, thy body to pay homage before My throne. Do thou render thanks unto God, thy Lord, the Lord of all the world."[2]
Bahá’u’lláh likewise expresses pleasure at the manner in which she exemplified the spiritual qualities embodied by the Manifestation of God when He states:
"I can well inhale from thee the fragrance of My love and the sweet-smelling savour wafting from the raiment of My Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous." [3]
As a testimony to Bahíyyih Khánum’s outstanding qualities, Bahá’u’lláh bestows upon her a unique spiritual station, elevating her to "the rank of one of the most distinguished among thy sex" and granting her "a station such as none other woman hath surpassed." He counsels her to fulfill this rank in the following manner:
"Be astir upon God’s Tree in conformity with thy pleasure and unloose thy tongue in praise of thy Lord amidst all mankind. Let not the things of the world grieve thee. Cling fast unto this divine Lote-Tree from which God hath graciously caused thee to spring forth. I swear by My life! It behoveth the lover to be closely joined to the loved one, and here indeed is the Best-Beloved of the world." [4]
Bahá’u’lláh’s counsel was, indeed, the motivating force of her being. The Greatest Holy Leaf’s very existence was centered on her recognition of the station of Bahá’u’lláh. She had a clear understanding of the importance of His Revelation and an unswerving commitment to furthering the Cause of God—with all its attendant tests and trials.
- Janet Khan (‘Prophet’s Daughter’)
[1] ‘Bahíyyih Khánum, The Greatest Holy Leaf’, a compilation by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, 1982
[2]Ibid
[3]Ibid
[4]Ibid