Kitáb-i-Íqán — §121

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 121 of 291.

Source (Persian)

چنانچه وقتی که سراج محمّدی در مشکات احمديّه مشتعل شد بر مردم حکم بعث و حشر و حيات و موت فرمود. اين بود که اعلام مخالفت مرتفع شد و ابواب استهزاء مفتوح گشت. چنانچه از زبان مشرکين، روح الامين خبر داده: "و لَئِنْ قُلتَ إنَّکُم مَبعُوثُونَ من بَعدالموتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ کَفَرُوا إن هَذَا إلّا سِحرٌ مُبِينٌ." مضمون آن اين است که اگر بگوئی به اين مشرکين که شما مبعوث شده ايد بعد از مردن، هر آينه می گويند آنهائی که کافر شدهاند به خدا و آيات او، نيست اين مگر سحری ظاهر و آشکار و هويدا. و در جای ديگر می فرمايد: "وَ إن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُم أَ إذَا کُنَّا تُرَاباً اَئِنَّا لفی خَلْقٍ جَديدٍ ؟ " که ترجمه آن اين است که می فرمايد: اگر عجب می داری پس عجب است قول کافران و معرضان که می گويند: آيا ما تراب بوديم؟ و از روی استهزاء می گفتند که آيا مائيم مبعوث شدگان؟ اين است که در مقام ديگر قهراً لهم می فرمايد: "اَفَعَيينَا بِالخَلقِ الاَوّل بَلْ هُمْ فی لَبْسٍ مِنْ خَلْقٍ جَديدٍ. " مضمون آن اين است که آيا ما عاجز و مانده شديم از خلق اوّل؟ بلکه اين مشرکين در شکّ و شبهه هستند از خلق جديد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

When the light of Qur’ánic Revelation was kindled within the chamber of Muhammad’s holy heart, He passed upon the people the verdict of the Last Day, the verdict of resurrection, of judgment, of life, and of death. Thereupon the standards of revolt were hoisted, and the doors of derision opened. Thus hath He, the Spirit of God, recorded, as spoken by the infidels: “And if thou shouldst say, ‘After death ye shall surely be raised again,’ the infidels will certainly exclaim, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’” Again He speaketh: “If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is their saying, ‘What! When we have become dust, shall we be restored in a new creation?’” Thus, in another passage, He wrathfully exclaimeth: “Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard to a new creation!”

Translation Notes

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

وقتی

w-q-t → “When”

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

سراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

محمّدی

ḥ-m-d → “thanks”

literal: praise; to praise

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مشکات

sh-k-w → “complained” Distinctive

literal: niche; chamber; recess

مشتعل

sh-ʿ-l → “kindled”

literal: to burn; to be inflamed; to kindle; burning; blazing

بر

b-r-r → “upon the”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مردم

m-r-d → “people”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

حکم

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

حشر

ḥ-sh-r → ““resurrection,””

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

حيات

ḥ-y-y → “of life”

literal: life; vitality; living

موت

m-w-t → “of death”

literal: death; dead; to die

فرمود.

f-r-m → “He passed” Distinctive

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

بود

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

اعلام

ʿ-l-m → “standards”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مخالفت

kh-l-f → “contrary” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

مرتفع

r-f-ʿ → “raised”

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

ابواب

b-w-b → “doors”

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

استهزاء

h-z-ʾ → “scorn”

literal: to mock; to ridicule; mockery

مفتوح

f-t-ḥ → “opened”

literal: opening; opening up; conquests; revelations; disclosure

گشت.

g-sh-t → “have been” Distinctive

literal: to become; to turn; to be

از

ʾ-z → “with” Distinctive

literal: from

زبان

z-b-n → “tongue”

literal: tongue; language

مشرکين،

sh-r-k → “infidels”

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

روح

r-w-ḥ → “Spirit”

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

الامين

ʾ-m-n → “trustworthy”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful

خبر

kh-b-r → “All-Informed” Distinctive

literal: all-knowing; aware; well-informed; omniscient

داده:

d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: below; lower than; beneath

"و

w-w-w

literal: and; quotation mark

لَئِنْ

l-w-n

literal: softness; gentleness; flexibility

قُلتَ

q-w-l → “say”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

إنَّکُم

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

من

m-n

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

الَّذِينَ

l-dh-y

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

کَفَرُوا

k-f-r

literal: to disbelieve, reject; unbelief, ingratitude; to deny, to disbelieve, to reject

هَذَا

h-dh-ʾ → “‘This”

literal: this; that

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

سِحرٌ

s-ḥ-r → “sorcery.’””

literal: dawn, daybreak; morning hour

مُبِينٌ."

b-y-n

literal: between; utterance; clear

مضمون

ḍ-m-n

literal: content; substance; to contain; to imply

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

بگوئی

g-w-y

literal: to preserve, guard, protect

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

شما

sh-m-ʾ → “ye”

literal: you (plural); your

مبعوث

b-ʿ-th → “sent down”

literal: to send; to raise up; to dispatch

ايد

ʾ-y-d

literal: come; support; may aid

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “‘After death”

literal: after; behind; distance

هر

h-r

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

می

m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

آنهائی

ʾ-n-y

literal: those

شدهاند

sh-d → “was” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

خدا

kh-d-ʾ

literal: God; the Divine

او،

h-w-w

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

مگر

m-g-r

literal: matter; affair; thing

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

آشکار

sh-k-r

literal: thankfulness, gratitude; to give thanks, be grateful; manifest; evident; apparent; clear

هويدا.

h-w-y

literal: cradle; bed; couch; resting place

جای

j-y-ʾ

literal: to come; to arrive; to happen

ديگر

d-g-r → “again” Distinctive

literal: home; place; land; abode

تَعْجَبْ

ʿ-j-b → “strange”

literal: wonder; amazement; marvelous; strange

إذَا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

کُنَّا

k-w-n → “be”

literal: to be; existence

تُرَاباً

t-r-b → “dust”

literal: dust; earth; soil

اَئِنَّا

ʾ-n-n → “He”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

لفی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

خَلْقٍ

kh-l-q → “new creation?’””

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

جَديدٍ

j-d-d

literal: new, novel, renewed; novelty, innovation

ترجمه

t-r-j-m

literal: translation

داری

d-ʾ-r

literal: to have; to hold; to possess; to maintain

پس

p-s

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

معرضان

ʿ-r-ḍ

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

آيا

ʾ-y-y → “signs”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

روی

r-w-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

گفتند

g-f-t → “spoken” Distinctive

literal: say; to say; said

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

قهراً

q-h-r → “wrathfully” Distinctive

literal: to overpower; to vanquish; wrath; might; force; compulsion; overwhelming

لهم

l-h-m

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

"اَفَعَيينَا

ʿ-y-y

literal: wearied, exhausted

الاَوّل

ʾ-w-l

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

بَلْ

b-l

literal: rather; but; rather/nay

هُمْ

h-m-m → “endeavor” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

لَبْسٍ

l-b-s → “garb” Distinctive

literal: garment; clothing; raiment; vesture

عاجز

ʿ-j-z → “powerlessness”

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence

مانده

m-ʾ-n

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

شديم

sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

اوّل؟

ʾ-w-l

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

بلکه

b-l-k → “Yet” Distinctive

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

شکّ

sh-k-k

literal: doubt; doubting

شبهه

sh-b-h

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

هستند

h-s-t → “are”

literal: to be; to exist

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

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 ¶