[1] Bahá’ú’lláh first announced his claim to be a Manifestation of God in 1863 and spent the rest of his life as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire, exiled first to Baghdad, followed by Istanbul, Edirne, where he began proclaiming his mission,[2] and finally Acre.
[1] Sometimes Bahá’ú'lláh uttered over 1000 verses in less than an hour without any apparent forethought, and on occasion during the early years this continued over extended periods lasting day and night, often involving visionary experiences.
[1] The majority of Bahá’ú’lláh's writings consist of comparatively short replies to correspondence from his followers, who, during the early period of his ministry, lived primarily within Shi’ite Islamic boundaries.
[6] One of Bahá’ú’lláh's first known Tablets dates from 1852, at the time of his imprisonment in the Síyáh-Chál in Tehran following false accusations against him in connection with the failed assassination attempt on the life of the Shah.
[9] Bahá’ú’lláh's texts during his first year of exile in Baghdad, two of which are mentioned below, included the promotion of the Cause of the Báb, enigmatic references to his own prophetic claim, and acknowledgment of Azal, his half brother, as nominal head of the Bábí community.
[7] And so, on 10 April 1854 Bahá’ú’lláh departed Baghdad for Sulaymaniyah, in the mountains of Kurdistan, his reason being "to avoid becoming a subject of discord among the faithful, a source of disturbance unto Our companions, the means of injury to any soul, or the cause of sorrow to any heart.
"[11] During Bahá’ú’lláh's two year withdrawal to Sulaymaniya he became aware of the nature of his mission, which he expressed through poems, prayers and meditations, a few of which survived,[12] including: On returning from the mountains of Kurdistan in 1856 Bahá’ú’lláh set to work on reuniting the dispirited and divided Bábí community, his writings focused on offering the Bábís a deeper understanding of their new religion, in the process appealing to a growing number of devoted disciples.
Key to Bahá’ú’lláh's revival of the Bábí community and his position as leader were his writings, His diverse style including obscure language as used by many of the Bábís, clear and assertive religious poetry, and direct, coherent prose.
On May 3, accompanied by members of his family, followers and servants, Bahá’u’lláh began the journey to Istanbul [Constantinople], where he stayed for four months before orders were given for him to be moved on to Edirne [Adrianople].
[26] It was during his years of exile in Constantinople and Edirne that Bahá’u’lláh began writing a series of letters to the kings and leaders of the world in which he announced his claim to be the latest messenger of God.
As a result of the overthrow of Sultan Abdulaziz in 1876 the order of imprisonment was annulled, and Baháʼu’lláh was finally able to leave ‘Akká, staying first of all in a villa nearby before moving to the Mansion of Bahji, where he died on 29 May 1892.
Baháʼu’lláh culminated his summons to the kings and rulers with the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, which was also the principal source of the laws and ordinances of the Baháʼí Faith: Other works written during these early years in ‘Akka period include: During his final 19 years Baháʼu'lláh wrote many of his most significant works predominantly setting out principles, several of which focus on the core teachings of the Baháʼí Faith: During this period Baháʼu'lláh's writings also deal with questions of a philosophical and theological nature: The following three major works, written in his final years, argued for the validity of the new religion and established the provisions for its organization and propagation: Baháʼu'lláh's writings, together with those of the Báb and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (and the authenticated transcripts of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's talks), make up the scriptures of the Baháʼí Faith.
[55] Browne described the Book of Certitude by Baháʼu'lláh as “a work of great merit, vigorous in style, clear in argument, cogent in proof, and displaying no slight knowledge of the Bible, Qur’an, and Traditions”.
[56] He further believed that the Book of Certitude by Baháʼu'lláh, in terms of its strength of style and conciseness is similar to the Chahár Maqála (Four Discourses), of Nizami Aruzi, which was written nearly seven centuries ago.
[59] According to Bushrui, Bahá'u'lláh's style is concise in form yet rich in meaning; it incorporates elements of both shi'r (poetry) and saj' (rhymed prose) but transcends the limitations of either.
[59] Vivid use is made of similes, metaphors, metonymy, and other linguistic embellishments, exemplifying that consummate skill in the use of Arabic which is termed badi', signifying the art of sublime and innovative expression.
[59] The hallmarks of this form of writing are its matchless precision, graceful yet compelling flow, chaste economy of diction, inimitable craftsmanship, and prodigious mastery of the language in all its multifarious ramifications.
[59] Much of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is composed in a species of rhymed prose—a highly regarded literary form marked by rhythmic cadences and the frequent use of terminal rhymes—that recalls, but is quite distinct from, the language of the Qur'án.
MacEoin states, however, that Baháʼu'lláh's later works are "with only a few exceptions, increasingly turgid, repetitive, and visibly lacking in the linguistic brilliance and poetic energy that characterize his early output".