The world captured my light, look into my eyes,
They named me “Baha”, though I am indeed precious.
No one has tasted this food, nor taken a bit of it.
Look at my dignity, which I bring (spiritual food) forth.
Even if the Kingdom, the Sovereignty, and the Judgment are far from the people’s rich,
Whether awake or asleep, suddenly I come intoxicated.
There, the world is light, both nymphs and palaces exist,
Joy, feasts, and banquets, I bring them all.
Gabriel is the curtain holder, men inside the curtain,
I am the gem in their circle, how I enter the circle.
Jesus rivals Moses, Jonah rivals Joseph,
Ahmad sits alone, meaning I am apart.
Love is the sea of meaning, each one like a fish in the sea,
Ahmad, the pearl in the ocean, now I reveal.
Rumi Ghazal 1700
Explanation of the Ghazal
Here, His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh introduces Himself to Rumi and announces the advent:
“My name is ‘Bahá,’ and I am immensely valuable. My light has encompassed the world. No one has seen such blessed effects before, and I will bring everyone with dignity.
Although the divine kingdom is far from humans, I will come intoxicatingly at any moment, whether humans are awake or asleep.
(As Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 Remember this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”)
For humanity, I will bring a world filled with light, magnificent palaces, angels, joy, and festivities.
There, Gabriel is the curtain holder, and I will shine like a gem among the divine chosen ones: Jesus, Moses, Joseph, Jonah, and Muhammad, and from my pen will descend a sea of love and meaningful words.
Rumi says elsewhere:
We found Bahá (Baha’u’llah) and the given blood for Bahá (The Bab) / We hastened towards sacrificing our souls