Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §78

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 78 of 268.

Source (Persian)

از اين بيان ايشان معلوم شد مقصود اين عبد را اصلاح امور ظاهره دانسته‌اند لذا آياتی باسم ايشان در سوره هيکل نازل بعضی از ان ذکر ميشود تا ان جناب بدانند که امر اين مظلوم للّه و من عند اللّه بوده *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

From his words it became apparent that he understood the purpose of this Servant to have been a request for material assistance. We, therefore, revealed in his (Napoleon III's) name verses in the Súratu’l-Haykal, some of which We now quote, that thou mayest know that the Cause of this Wronged One hath been revealed for the sake of God, and hath come from Him:

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “From”

literal: from

اين

ʾ-y-n → “his”

literal: this; these

بيان

b-y-n → “words”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شد

sh-d → “became” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

عبد

ʿ-b-d → “Servant”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

را

r-ʾ-ʾ → “of”

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اصلاح

ṣ-l-ḥ → “betterment”

literal: peace; reconciliation

ظاهره

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

دانسته‌اند

d-ʾ-n → “considered”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

لذا

l-dh-ʾ → “therefore”

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

آياتی

ʾ-y-y → “verses”

literal: sign; verse; miracle; token; verses; signs; proofs

باسم

s-m-w → “in his (Napoleon III’s) name”

literal: harm; strength; blame; hardship, adversity, tribulation, distress

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

سوره

s-w-r

literal: chapter (of Qurʾan); surah

هيکل

h-y-k-l → “form”

literal: temple; structure; form; body

نازل

n-z-l → “revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

ان

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

ميشود

sh-w-d → “be” Distinctive

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

تا

t-y-y → “that”

literal: so that/until

جناب

j-n-b → “thee”

literal: to avoid; to shun; to keep away from

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

مظلوم

ẓ-l-m → “Wronged One”

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

للّه

ʾ-l-h → “for the sake of God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

من

m-n → “from”

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

عند

ʿ-n-d → “Him” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

بوده

b-w-d → “hath been revealed” Distinctive

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

Gleanings

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A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

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The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

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The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

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Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

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Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

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Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

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Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

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Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶