Kitáb-i-Íqán — §157

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 157 of 291.

Source (Persian)

از جمله اينکه روزی جمعی از مجاحدان آن جمال بی مثال و محرومان از کعبه لايزال از روی استهزاء عرض نمودند: "إنَّ اللّهَ عَهِدَ إلَينَا ألَّا نُؤمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتّی يَأتِيَنَا بقربانٍ تَأکُلُهُ النَّارُ." مضمون آن اين است که پروردگار عهد کرده است به ما که ايمان نياوريم به رسولی مگر آنکه معجزه هابيل و قابيل را ظاهر فرمايد، يعنی قربانی کند و آتشی از آسمان بيايد و آن را بسوزاند، چنانچه در حکايت هابيل شنيدهاند و در کتب مذکور است. آن حضرت در جواب فرمودند: "قَد جَاءَکُمْ رُسُلٌ مِن قَبْلِی بِالبَيِّنَاتِ وَ بِالَّذی قُلْتُم فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إنْ کُنتُمْ صَادِقينَ." ترجمه آن اين است که آن حضرت فرمودند: آمد به سوی شما پيش از من رسول های پروردگار با بيّنات ظاهرات و به آنچه شما می طلبيد، پس چرا کُشتيد آن رسل پروردگار را اگر هستيد راست گويان؟ حال انصاف دهيد، بر حسب ظاهر آن عباد که در عصر و عهد آن حضرت بودهاند کجا در عهد آدم يا انبيای ديگر بودند که چند هزار سال فاصله بود از عهد آدم تا آن زمان؟ مع ذلک چرا آن جوهر صدق نسبت قتل هابيل و يا انبيای ديگر را به عباد زمان خود فرمود؟ چاره نداری يا اينکه نعوذ باللّه نسبت کذب و يا کلام لغو به آن حضرت بدهی يا بگوئی آن اشقياء همان اشقياء بودند که در هر عصری با نبييّن و مرسلين معارضه می نمودند تا آنکه بالاخره همه را شهيد نمودند.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And it came to pass that on a certain day a number of the opponents of that peerless Beauty, those that had strayed far from God’s imperishable Sanctuary, scornfully spoke these words unto Muhammad: “Verily, God hath entered into a covenant with us that we are not to credit an apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall devour.” The purport of this verse is that God hath covenanted with them that they should not believe in any messenger unless he work the miracle of Abel and Cain, that is, offer a sacrifice, and the fire from heaven consume it; even as they had heard it recounted in the story of Abel, which story is recorded in the scriptures. To this, Muhammad, answering, said: “Already have Apostles before me come to you with sure testimonies, and with that of which ye speak. Wherefore slew ye them? Tell me, if ye are men of truth.” And now, be fair; How could those people living in the days of Muhammad have existed, thousands of years before, in the age of Adam or other Prophets? Why should Muhammad, that Essence of truthfulness, have charged the people of His day with the murder of Abel or other Prophets? Thou hast none other alternative except to regard Muhammad as an impostor or a fool—which God forbid!—or to maintain that those people of wickedness were the self-same people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom.

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

اينکه

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter” Distinctive

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

روزی

r-w-z

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

جمعی

j-m-ʿ → “number”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

مجاحدان

j-ḥ-d → “gainsaid” Distinctive

literal: to deny; to reject; to disown

جمال

j-m-l → “Beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

مثال

m-th-l → “peerless”

literal: weight; heavy; weighty testimony

محرومان

ḥ-r-m → “deprived” Distinctive

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

کعبه

k-ʿ-b → “God’s imperishable Sanctuary” Distinctive

literal: Kaaba; cube/Kaaba; Kaaba/lodestar

لايزال

z-w-l → “at all times” Distinctive

literal: to pass away; to vanish; to disappear; to cease

روی

r-w-y → “tradition” Distinctive

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

استهزاء

h-z-ʾ → “scornfully”

literal: to mock; to ridicule; mockery

عرض

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away” Distinctive

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

نمودند:

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

"إنَّ

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اللّهَ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

عَهِدَ

ʿ-h-d → “entered into a covenant”

literal: covenant; testament; promise; command

إلَينَا

ʾ-l-y → “besmirch” Distinctive

literal: to; to him; besmirch

ألَّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

نُؤمِنَ

ʾ-m-n → “faith”

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

لِرَسُولٍ

r-s-l → “apostle”

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

حَتّی

ḥ-t-y → “even”

literal: to be necessary, inevitable; determined

يَأتِيَنَا

ʾ-t-y → “come” Distinctive

literal: to come; to arrive; to bring; to go; coming; arrival; the one coming; to give; Revelation; came; gave; brought

بقربانٍ

q-r-b → “nearness” Distinctive

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

تَأکُلُهُ

ʾ-k-l → “eateth”

literal: eat; to eat; fruit, food

النَّارُ."

n-y-r → “fire”

literal: luminary; fire; luminaries

مضمون

ḍ-m-n → “purport”

literal: content; substance; to contain; to imply

است.

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

پروردگار

r-b-b → “God” Distinctive

literal: Lord; Sustainer; Provider; Creator

کرده

k-r-d → “hath”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; deed; action; conduct; behavior

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

ما

m-ʾ

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

ايمان

ʾ-m-n → “not believe” Distinctive

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

نياوريم

ʾ-w-r

literal: to bring; bring; brought

مگر

m-g-r → “save through”

literal: matter; affair; thing

معجزه

ʿ-j-z → “powerlessness” Distinctive

literal: unable; powerlessness; inability

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

فرمايد،

f-r-m → “he work” Distinctive

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

يعنی

ʿ-n-y → “is”

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

آتشی

ʾ-t-sh → “fire”

literal: fire; flame

آسمان

s-m-w → “from heaven”

literal: heaven; sky

بيايد

ʾ-m-d

literal: to find; to obtain; to discover

بسوزاند،

s-w-z → “Cast” Distinctive

literal: burn; to burn; burning

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “even as”

literal: thus; in such manner; as

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

حکايت

ḥ-k-y → “story”

literal: telling; indicative; narrator; testifier; narrative; story; account; tale; to relate; one who relates; speaking of

شنيدهاند

sh-n-w → “they had heard it”

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

کتب

k-t-b → “scriptures”

literal: book; scripture; writing

مذکور

dh-k-r → “recorded”

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

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “Muhammad”

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

جواب

j-w-b → “answering, said”

literal: answer, reply, response

جَاءَکُمْ

j-y-ʾ

literal: to come; to arrive; to happen

مِن

m-n → “from”

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

قَبْلِی

q-b-l → “before me”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

بِالبَيِّنَاتِ

b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

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

بِالَّذی

ʾ-l-l → “with that of which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

قُلْتُم

q-w-l

literal: say; said; saying

فَلِمَ

l-m-h → “Wherefore slew”

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

کُنتُمْ

k-w-n → “ye are”

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

صَادِقينَ."

ṣ-d-q

literal: to confirm; to verify; to acknowledge; to testify to truth

ترجمه

t-r-j-m

literal: translation

آمد

ʾ-m-d → “come to you” Distinctive

literal: to find; to obtain; to discover

سوی

s-w-y

literal: worst; evil; bad; other than; besides; save; except

شما

sh-m-ʾ → “ye speak”

literal: you (plural); your

پيش

p-y-sh

literal: before; in front; ago; forward; leader; guide; one who precedes

های

null

literal: and; that; in

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “have clung”

literal: to; with; by

بيّنات

b-y-n

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

می

m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

طلبيد،

ṭ-l-b

literal: seeking; seek; seeker

پس

p-s

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

چرا

ch-r-ʾ → “Why should”

literal: why; wherefore

کُشتيد

k-sh-t

literal: kill; to kill; to-plant

اگر

ʾ-g-r

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

هستيد

h-s-t → “are”

literal: is; be; are

راست

r-s-t → “Verily” Distinctive

literal: chief; leader; head; president; beginning

حال

ḥ-w-l → “And now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

انصاف

n-ṣ-f → “be fair” Distinctive

literal: justice; fairness; equity

دهيد،

d-h → “imputed” Distinctive

literal: to give; to provide; to yield; to grant; to bestow

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

حسب

ḥ-s-b

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “those people”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

عصر

ʿ-ṣ-r → “days”

literal: age; era; century; period of time

کجا

k-j-ʾ → “How”

literal: how; in what manner

يا

y-ʾ → “or”

literal: O; or

انبيای

n-b-ʾ → “Prophets”

literal: prophet; prophets

ديگر

d-g-r → “other”

literal: home; place; land; abode

چند

ch-n-d → “while” Distinctive

literal: some; several; a few; how many

هزار

h-z-r

literal: thousand

سال

s-n-h

literal: most beautiful; finest; highest

فاصله

f-ṣ-l

literal: detail; distinction; differentiation; to detail; to separate

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

زمان؟

z-m-n → “earth” Distinctive

literal: time; age; era; period

مع

m-ʿ

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلک

dh-l-k

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

جوهر

j-w-h-r → “Essence of truthfulness”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

نسبت

n-s-b → “relationship”

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

قتل

q-t-l → “murder”

literal: slayer; killer; murderer

خود

kh-w-d

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

چاره

ch-r-h

literal: remedy; cure; solution; means; way

نداری

d-sh-t

literal: have; to have; had

نعوذ

ʿ-w-dh → “God forbid!—or”

literal: we seek refuge; God forbid

کذب

k-dh-b → “falsehood”

literal: denial; belying; falsification; rejection; liar; lying; false

کلام

k-l-m → “words”

literal: to blame; to find fault; blaming; fault-finding

لغو

l-gh-w → “divers tongues” Distinctive

literal: word; language; utterance

بگوئی

g-w-y → “to maintain” Distinctive

literal: to preserve, guard, protect

اشقياء

sh-q-y → “wicked doers”

literal: wretched ones; the miserable; the wicked

همان

h-m → “all” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

هر

h-r → “every age”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

همه

h-m-h → “them all”

literal: all; every/all

شهيد

sh-h-d → “to suffer martyrdom” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

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 ¶