Kitáb-i-Íqán — §101

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 101 of 291.

Source (Persian)

در اين وقت از اهل بيان و عرفاء و حکماء و علماء و شهدای آن استدعا می نمايم که وصايای الهی را که در کتاب فرموده فراموش ننمايند و هميشه ناظر به اصل امر باشند که مبادا حين ظهور آن جوهرالجواهر و حقيقة الحقائق و نور الانوار متمسّک به بعضی عبارات کتاب شوند و بر او وارد بياورند آنچه را که در کور فرقان وارد آمد. چه که آن سلطان هويّه قادر است بر اينکه جميع بيان و خلق آن را به حرفی از بدايع کلمات خود قبض روح فرمايد و يا به حرفی جميع را حيات بديعه قدميّه بخشد و از قبور نفس و هوی محشور و مبعوث نمايد. ملتفت و مراقب بوده که جميع منتهی به ايمان به او و ادراک ايّام و لقای او می شود. " لَيْسَ البِرَّ اَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَکُم قِبَلَ المَشرِقِ والمَغرِبِ و لَکِنَّ الِبرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّه و اليَومِ الآخرِ." اسمعوا يا اَهلَ البيان ما وَصَّيناکُم بالحقِّ لَعَلَّ تسکُنُنَّ فی ظِلٍّ کانَ فی اَيّام اللّه مَمدوداً.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And now, We beseech the people of the Bayán, all the learned, the sages, the divines, and witnesses amongst them, not to forget the wishes and admonitions revealed in their Book. Let them, at all times, fix their gaze upon the essentials of His Cause, lest when He, Who is the Quintessence of truth, the inmost Reality of all things, the Source of all light, is made manifest, they cling unto certain passages of the Book, and inflict upon Him that which was inflicted in the Dispensation of the Qur’án. For, verily, powerful is He, the King of divine might, to extinguish with one letter of His wondrous words, the breath of life in the whole of the Bayán and the people thereof, and with one letter bestow upon them a new and everlasting life, and cause them to arise and speed out of the sepulchres of their vain and selfish desires. Take heed, and be watchful; and remember that all things have their consummation in belief in Him, in attainment unto His day, and in the realization of His divine presence. “There is no piety in turning your faces toward the east or toward the west, but he is pious who believeth in God and the Last Day.” Give ear, O people of the Bayán, unto the truth whereunto We have admonished you, that haply ye may seek the shelter of the shadow extended, in the Day of God, upon all mankind.

Translation Notes

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

وقت

w-q-t

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “people of the Bayán”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

بيان

b-y-n

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

عرفاء

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

حکماء

ḥ-k-m

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

علماء

ʿ-l-m → “learned”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شهدای

sh-h-d → “witnesses”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

آن

ʾ-n → “them”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

استدعا

d-ʿ-w → “beseech”

literal: call, invocation, summons; to call, invite, summon

می

m-y-y → “will be made”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

نمايم

n-m-ʾ

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

وصايای

w-ṣ-y → “testaments” Distinctive

literal: counsel; commandment; bequest; will; testament; admonition; command

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “divine”

literal: supplication; earnest entreaty; imploring

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

کتاب

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

فرموده

f-r-m → “revealed” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

فراموش

f-r-sh → “bed”

literal: to forget; forgetfulness

ننمايند

n-m-ود → “they”

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

هميشه

h-m-sh → “continually”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

ناظر

n-ẓ-r → “fix their gaze”

literal: neck; slaves; those held in bonds

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

اصل

ʾ-ṣ-l → “essence”

literal: evening; afternoon; noble; ancient; nightfall; genesis

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

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

مبادا

b-d-w → “lest”

literal: lest; perhaps; in order that not

حين

ḥ-y-n → “when” Distinctive

literal: time; moment; while; season

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “made manifest” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

جوهرالجواهر

j-w-h-r → “Quintessence”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

حقيقة

ḥ-q-q → “inmost Reality”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

نور

n-w-r → “light”

literal: light; illumination

متمسّک

m-s-k → “cling unto”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “certain passages”

literal: part; some; portion

عبارات

ʿ-b-r → “tears” Distinctive

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

شوند

sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

بر

b-r-r → “upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

او

h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

وارد

w-r-d → “hath befallen” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

بياورند

ʾ-w-r

literal: bring; to bring; to_bring

کور

k-w-r

literal: blind; darkness

فرقان

f-r-q → “Dispensation of the Qur’án”

literal: faction; sect; group; company

آمد.

ʾ-m-d

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

چه

ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

سلطان

s-l-ṭ → “King”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

هويّه

h-w-y → “desires”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

قادر

q-d-r → “powerful is”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

است

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; to exist; to remain

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “whole of the Bayán” Distinctive

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

خلق

kh-l-q → “people” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

حرفی

ḥ-r-f

literal: letter; character; edge

بدايع

b-d-ʿ → “His wondrous”

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

کلمات

k-l-m → “words”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

خود

kh-w-d → “His” Distinctive

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

قبض

q-b-ḍ → “grasp”

literal: grasp; grip; control; seize

روح

r-w-ḥ → “of life” Distinctive

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

حيات

ḥ-y-y → “life”

literal: life; vitality; living

قدميّه

q-d-m

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

بخشد

b-kh-sh → “grace” Distinctive

literal: to grant; to give; to forgive; to bestow

قبور

q-b-r → “sepulchres”

literal: Cyprus (toponym)

نفس

n-f-s → “their vain and selfish desires”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

هوی

h-w-y

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

محشور

ḥ-sh-r → ““resurrection,”” Distinctive

literal: to gather, assemble, congregate; resurrection, Day of Judgment

مبعوث

b-ʿ-th

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

ملتفت

l-f-t → “turn” Distinctive

literal: to turn; to perceive; to pay attention

مراقب

r-q-b → “necks” Distinctive

literal: neck; slaves; those held in bonds

منتهی

n-h-y → “forbidden” Distinctive

literal: stinking, foul-smelling; stench

ايمان

ʾ-m-n → “belief”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend

ايّام

y-w-m → “day”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

لقای

l-q-y → “presence”

literal: opposite; facing; in front of; towards

لَيْسَ

l-y-s → “is no”

literal: is not; to be not

تُوَلُّوا

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

وُجُوهَکُم

w-j-h → “faces”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

قِبَلَ

q-b-l → “before”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

المَشرِقِ

sh-r-q

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

والمَغرِبِ

gh-r-b → “or toward the west”

literal: west; sunset; place of setting

لَکِنَّ

l-k-n → “but”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

مَنْ

m-n → “who” Distinctive

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

آمَنَ

ʾ-m-n → “believeth” Distinctive

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

الآخرِ."

ʾ-kh-r

literal: hereafter; other; last

اسمعوا

s-m-ʿ → “Give ear” Distinctive

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

ما

m-ʾ

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

وَصَّيناکُم

w-ṣ-y → “have admonished”

literal: counsel; commandment; bequest; will; testament; admonition; command

لَعَلَّ

l-ʿ-l → “that haply”

literal: perhaps; perchance; hopefully

تسکُنُنَّ

s-k-n → “inmates” Distinctive

literal: dwelling; inhabitants; dwell

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

ظِلٍّ

ẓ-l-l → “shelter of the shadow”

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

کانَ

k-w-n

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

مَمدوداً.

m-d-d → “ink” Distinctive

literal: extended; outstretched; sustained

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶