Aḥmad became a Bābī in the early years of the Bāb's ministry (c.1262/1846?) through contact, among others, with Mīrzā `Abd al-Khāliq Yazdī and Mullā Ṣādiq-i-Muqaddas Khurasānī (Māzandarānī, ZH VI:790). In 1264/1847 he met the Bāb in Kāshān. Later in Baghdād, around 1274/1857-8, he entered the presence of Bahā’-Allāh; subsequently also, it seems, in Istanbul and Edirne. In another Tablet Bahā’-Allāh has confirmed that Aḥmad had "gazed upon his hidden beauty" (RB 2:113). It was in Edirne (the "remote prison") in c. 1282/1865-6, before Bahā’-Allāh had broken with Mīrzā Yaḥyā (March 1866 CE) and publicly declared his mission, that the Tablet of Aḥmad was revealed, Aḥmad apparently received it in when in Istanbul [Constantinople], in the course of a cancelled journey to Edirne (RB 2:113).

        Through the widespread dissemination of this well-known Tablet in many Iranian localities (from Khurāsān to Ādhirbayjān) Aḥmad was among the first to boldly communicate that Bahā’-Allāh was "Him Whom God will make manifest" (man yuhiru-hu Allāh). Many Bābīs responded by becoming Bahā'īs; including, for example, the Apostle of Bahā’-Allāh, Mīrzā Maḥmūd-i-Furūghī (Faizi, 15f). Mystically inclined, he travelled widely as a Bābī and Bahā'ī teacher.

        Within the Tablet of Aḥmad the truth of the claims of the Bāb, the "King of the Messengers" (sulṭān al-rusul), is affirmed. Faithfulness to the Bābī revelation ( the Bayān) is enjoined for such is recorded in the archetypal umm al-kitāb, the "Mother Book" (cf. Q.3:7;13:39;43:4). Bahā’-Allāh seems to refer to himself as the "Nightingale of Paradise" (warqat al-firdaws.. warqā' lit. "pigeon"), "Most Great Beauty" (manẓar al-akbar lit. "Greatest Vista") and "Tree of Life" (shajarat al-rūḥ, lit. "Tree of the Spirit").

        There are a few letters of Shoghi Effendi expository of phrases in the Tablet of Aḥmad (e.g. Dawn of a New Day, 200). In a letter to the Bahā'īs of Kenosha (USA), Shoghi Effendi's opinion is expressed as follows, "The Tablet of Aḥmad was revealed by Baha’u'llāh to be read when one feels himself in exceptionally difficult circumstances. There is nothing obligatory about its use, and every person has to decide for himself whether he desires to learn it by heart or not.." (cited, Lights of Guidance 2 No. 1608. p.483).

        The English translation of the Arabic Tablet of Aḥmad can be found in many Bahā'ī payer books and devotional compilations. It is probably more frequently read and memorized by modern Bahā'īs internationally, than most other medium-length devotional Tablets. Late in life a son of Aḥmad named Jamāl entrusted the Arabic autograph (manuscript in the handwriting of Bahā’-Allāh) of the Tablet of Aḥmad to the Hand of the Cause and Trustee of the Ḥuquq-Allāh, Valīu'llāh Varqā. He in turn, at the direction of Shoghi Effendi, presented it to the American Bahā'īs on the occasion of the 1953 Jubilee dedication ceremony of the Wilmette, Illinois Bahā'ī Temple. It is today kept in the archives of the Bahā'īs of the United States (Faizi, 20, cf. Whitmore, Dawning Place, 229f).

        The second major Tablet of Aḥmad is the Persian (Lawḥ-i-Aḥmad-i-fārsī). It was addressed to the one-time Bābī merchant and ultimately staunch Azalī, Hajjī Mīrzā Aḥmad-i-Kāshānī (d. Baghdad c. 1866). It was most likely revealed in 1282/1865-6, during the difficult period just prior (?) to Bahā’-Allāh's disassociation from Yaḥyā, a period characterized in the Tablet as "the year of the most great testing and mighty sedition" (sanih-i-tammī va fitnih-i-`umī) (MAM:328). The basic purpose of the Tablet was to guide Aḥmad away from his disruptive ways, his divisive attachment to Mīrzā Yaḥyā and various Azalī Bābīs. He is addressed as a "banished and faithful friend" (MAM:396, Gl:322). Aḥmad is exhorted to turn to the effulgent person of Bahā'-Allāh who is "the Manifestation of the Almighty and All-Glorious Being" (MAM:221 trans. Gl:323). The qur'ānic "Light Verse" (Q. 24:35) is mystically interpreted relative to the "Light" of the person of Bahā’-Allāh (MAM:324 tr.Gl:324).

        Aḥmad-i Kāshānī met the Bāb in 1263/1847 in the home of his Bābī half-brother, Hajjī Mīrzā Jānī Kāshānī (martyred, 1269/1852). He was among those whom Bahā’-Allāh chose, apparently for reasons of controlling his unstable behaviour, to accompany him on his exile from Baghdad to Istanbul and Edirne. His support of Mīrzā Yaḥyā led Bahā’-Allāh to advise him to quit Edirne for Iraq. In Baghdad he was apparently "murdered by an Arab, who was supposed to have been a Bahā'ī" (Balyuzi, BKG:157, 231; idem, E.G. Browne, 64).

        Many paragraphs of the Tablet of Aḥmad (Persian) are addressed to the "servants of God" (to Bābīs collectively or mankind in general). In diverse ways Aḥmad and others are called to detachment and purity. They are called upon to use all their faculties in order to witness the radiant light of Bahā'-Allāh and return to Him who is the "Source" of their creation (MAM:321 tr.Gl:324). The Bābīs are called to be firm in the covenant of the Bāb (MAM:328 tr. Gl:327).

        Bahā’-Allāh likens the enormity of his revelation to an "ocean" containing numerous "pearls of great price" (MAM:324 tr. Gl:324 cf. Matt 13:45-6). Sinaitic imagery is present at various points in the Tablet. Bahā’-Allāh is the now unveiled subordinate divinity who is not limited by the interjection addressed to Moses, "Thou shalt not see Me" (Qur'ān 7:143b cited MAM:330, cf. ibid 221 trans. Gl:324). His "deathless beauty" is radiantly apparent. At one point words of the "Son of Mary" (Jesus) about the "tree" that fails to bring forth fruit being fit for the "fire", are briefly commented upon (MAM:320 cf. Matt 7:19).

Ustād Muhammad `Alī  Salmānī, My Memories of Bahā’-Allāh (Los Angeles: Kalimāt Press, 1982), 46ff; Hasan Balyuzi, Edward Granville Browne and the Bahā'ī Faith (London: George Ronald, 1970), 64; idem, Bahā’-Allāh, King of Glory, Oxford: GR., 1980, index); A. Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahā’-Allāh, Vol. II (Oxford: George Ronald, 1977), pp. 137-151.