Kitáb-i-Íqán — §134

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 134 of 291.

Source (Persian)

پس بدان ای سائل طالب که هرگز سلطنت ظاهره نزد حقّ و اوليای او معتبر نبوده و نخواهد بود. و ديگر آنکه اگر مقصود از غلبه و قدرت، قدرت و غلبه ظاهری باشد کار بسيار بر آن جناب سخت می شود. مثل آنکه می فرمايد: "وَ إنَّ جُندَنا لَهُمُ الغَالِبُونَ." و در مقام ديگر می فرمايد: "يُريدُونَ اَن يُطفِئوا نُورَاللّهِ بِاَ فوَاهِهِم و يَأبَی اللّهُ إلّا اَنْ يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ ولو کَرِهَ الکافِرُونَ." و ديگر: "هو الغالِبُ فَوقَ کُلِّ شَيْء." مثل اينکه اکثری از فرقان صريح بر اين مطلب است.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Know, therefore, O questioning seeker, that earthly sovereignty is of no worth, nor will it ever be, in the eyes of God and His chosen Ones. Moreover, if ascendency and dominion be interpreted to mean earthly supremacy and temporal power, how impossible will it be for thee to explain these verses: “And verily Our host shall conquer.” “Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: But God hath willed to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it.” “He is the Dominant, above all things.” Similarly, most of the Qur’án testifieth to this truth.

Translation Notes

پس

p-s → “From”

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

بدان

d-n-n → “City” Distinctive

literal: nonexistent; void; nullified

ای

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

سائل

s-ʾ-l → “questioning” Distinctive

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

طالب

ṭ-l-b → “seeker”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

هرگز

h-r-g → “never”

literal: never; at no time; never ever

سلطنت

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ظاهره

ẓ-h-r → “earthly” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

نزد

n-z-d → “unto”

literal: near; beside; with; in the presence of

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “God”

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

اوليای

w-l-y → “chosen Ones”

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

او

h-w-w → “His”

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

معتبر

ʿ-b-r → “tears” Distinctive

literal: credible; reliable; worthy of trust; esteemed

نبوده

b-w-d → “of no” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

نخواهد

kh-w-h → “will”

literal: will; to wish; to want

ديگر

d-g-r → “another”

literal: home; place; land; abode

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

مقصود

q-ṣ-d

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

غلبه

gh-l-b → “ascendancy”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

قدرت،

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

کار

k-ʾ-r

literal: work; deed; action; affair; business

بسيار

b-s-r

literal: much; many; very; greatly

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

إنَّ

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

جناب

j-n-b → “thee”

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

سخت

s-kh-t → “not deprived” Distinctive

literal: hard, difficult, severe; harshness

می

m-y-y

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

شود.

sh-w-d → “will it be”

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

مثل

m-th-l → “Similarly” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “saith”

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

"وَ

w-w-w → ““And”

literal: and; quotation mark

جُندَنا

j-n-d → “hosts” Distinctive

literal: hosts, armies, troops

لَهُمُ

l-h-m

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

"يُريدُونَ

r-w-d → “desire” Distinctive

literal: will; want; desire

يُطفِئوا

ṭ-f-ʾ → “put out”

literal: to extinguish, put out, quench; to be extinguished; to perish; to go out

نُورَاللّهِ

n-w-r → “God’s light”

literal: light; illumination

بِاَ

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

فوَاهِهِم

f-w-h → “their mouths”

literal: mouth; mouths; fruits

يَأبَی

y-ʾ-b

literal: find; rare; perceive/find

اللّهُ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r

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

يُتِمَّ

t-m-m → “perfect”

literal: most complete; to complete; perfect; fullness

ولو

l-w → “If”

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

کَرِهَ

k-r-r → “Time and again” Distinctive

literal: to dislike; to hate; sphere; ball

الکافِرُونَ."

k-f-r → “the infidels”

literal: disbelieve; disbelieved; disbeliever

فَوقَ

f-w-q → “above”

literal: above; over; beyond

کُلِّ

k-l-l → “all”

literal: for us; to us

شَيْء."

sh-y-ʾ → “things.”” Distinctive

literal: thing; will; things

اکثری

k-th-r → “most”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

فرقان

f-r-q → “Qur’án”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

صريح

ṣ-r-ḥ → “explicitly”

literal: explicit statement; clear declaration

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: that, the fact that, this (demonstrative particle)

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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.

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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.

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16 ¶

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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.

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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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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 ¶