Kitáb-i-Íqán — §114
Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 114 of 291.
Source (Persian)
و ديگر آنکه مقصود از سلطنت، احاطه و قدرت آن حضرت است بر همه ممکنات و خواه در عالم ظاهر به استيلای ظاهری ظاهر شود يا نشود. و اين بسته به اراده ومشيّت خود آن حضرت است. و ليکن بر آن جناب معلوم بوده که سلطنت و غنا وحيات و موت و حشر و نشر که در کتب قبل مذکور است مقصود اين نيست که اليوم اين مردم احصاء و ادراک می نمايند. بلکه مراد از سلطنت سلطنتی است که در ايّام ظهور هر يک از شموس حقيقت بنفسه لنفسه ظاهرمی شود و آن احاطه باطنيّه است که به آن احاطه می نمايد کلّ من فی السّموات و الارض را، و بعد به استعداد کون و زمان وخلق در عالم ظاهر به ظهور می آيد چنانچه سلطنت حضرت رسول حال در ميان ناس ظاهر و هويداست. و در اوّل، امر آن حضرت آن بود که شنيديد. چه مقدار اهل کفر وضلال که علمای آن عصر و اصحاب ايشان باشند بر آن جوهر فطرت و ساذج طينت وارد آوردند. چه مقدار خاشاک ها و خارها که بر محلّ عبور آن حضرت ريختند. و اين معلوم است که آن اشخاص به ظنون خبيثه شيطانيّه خود اذيّت به آن هيکل ازلی را سبب رستگاری خود می دانستند زيرا که جميع علمای عصر به مثل عبداللّه اُبَيّ و ابو عامر راهب و کعب بن اشرف و نضر بن حارث، جميع آن حضرت را تکذيب نمودند و نسبت به جنون و افترا دادند و نسبت هائی که نَعُوذُ بِالّله مِن اَن يَجری بِهِ المِدادُ اَو يَتَحَرّکَ عَلَيه القَلمُ اَو يَحمِلَهُ الاَلواحُ. بلی، اين نسبت ها بود که سبب ايذای مردم نسبت به آن حضرت شد. و اين معلوم و واضح است که علمای وقت اگر کسی را ردّ و طرد نمايند و از اهل ايمان ندانند چه بر سرآن نفس می آيد چنانچه بر سر اين بنده آمد و ديده شد.
Shoghi Effendi Translation
Furthermore, by sovereignty is meant the all-encompassing, all-pervading power which is inherently exercised by the Qá’im whether or not He appear to the world clothed in the majesty of earthly dominion. This is solely dependent upon the will and pleasure of the Qá’im Himself. You will readily recognize that the terms sovereignty, wealth, life, death, judgment and resurrection, spoken of by the scriptures of old, are not what this generation hath conceived and vainly imagined. Nay, by sovereignty is meant that sovereignty which in every dispensation resideth within, and is exercised by, the person of the Manifestation, the Day-star of Truth. That sovereignty is the spiritual ascendancy which He exerciseth to the fullest degree over all that is in heaven and on earth, and which in due time revealeth itself to the world in direct proportion to its capacity and spiritual receptiveness, even as the sovereignty of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, is today apparent and manifest amongst the people. You are well aware of what befell His Faith in the early days of His dispensation. What woeful sufferings did the hand of the infidel and erring, the divines of that age and their associates, inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most pure and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars which they have strewn over His path! It is evident that wretched generation, in their wicked and satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being as a means to the attainment of an abiding felicity; inasmuch as the recognized divines of that age, such as ‘Abdu’lláh-i-Ubayy, Abú-‘Amír, the hermit, Ka’b-Ibn-i-Ashraf, and Nadr-Ibn-i-Hárith, all treated Him as an impostor, and pronounced Him a lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore accusations they brought against Him that in recounting them God forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the page to bear them. These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise and torment Him. And how fierce that torment if the divines of the age be its chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from their midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this Servant, and been witnessed by all?
Translation Notes
ممکنات
literal: establishment; confirmation; empowerment; firm settlement; place; possibility; being (negated as ‘non-being’)
استيلای
literal: استيلاء (domination/dominance) derives from root س-ي-ل (Form X), not س-و-ي
احصاء
literal: unnumbered, innumerable, countless, beyond count; to count; to enumerate; to be reckoned
ادراک
literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend
اوّل،
literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of
بلی،
literal: affliction; trial; calamity; trial, tribulation, affliction, calamity; yes; indeed; verily
ندانند
literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with
ديده
literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen
