Kitáb-i-Íqán — §170
Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 170 of 291.
Source (Persian)
پس نظر را از حدودات ظاهره طاهر و منزّه کن تا همه را به يک اسم و يک رسم و يک ذات و يک حقيقت مشاهده نمائی و اسرار رجوع کلمات را هم در حروفات نازله ملاحظه فرمائی. قدری تفکّر در اصحاب عهد نقطه فرقان نما که چگونه از جميع جهات بشريّه و مشتهيات نفسيّه به نفحات قدسيّه آن حضرت، پاک و مقدّس و منقطع گشتند و قبل از همه اهل ارض به شرف لقاء که عين لقاءاللّه بود فائز شدند و از کلّ اهل ارض منقطع گشتند چنانچه شنيدهايد که در مقابل آن مظهر ذی الجلال چگونه جان نثار می فرمودند. و حال همان ثبوت و رسوخ و انقطاع را بعينه ملاحظه فرما در اصحاب نقطه بيان راجع شده چنانچه ملاحظه فرموده ايد که چگونه اين اصحاب از بدايع جود ربّ الارباب عَلَم انقطاع بر رفرف امتناع برافراشتند. باری، اين انوار از يک مصباح ظاهر شدهاند و اين اثمار از يک شجره روئيدهاند. فی الحقيقه فرقی ملحوظ نه و تغييری مشهود نه. کُلُّ ذلِکَ مِن فَضلِ اللّهِ، يُؤتيهِ مَن يَشاءُ مِن خَلقِهِ. انشاءاللّه از ارض نفی احتراز جوئيم و به بحر اثبات در آئيم تا عوالم جمع و فرق و توحيد و تفريق و تحديد و تجريد الهی را به بصری که مقدّس از عناصر و اضداد است مشاهده کنيم و به اعلی افق قرب و قدس حضرت معانی پرواز نمائيم.
Shoghi Effendi Translation
Purge thy sight, therefore, from all earthly limitations, that thou mayest behold them all as the bearers of one Name, the exponents of one Cause, the manifestations of one Self, and the revealers of one Truth, and that thou mayest apprehend the mystic “return” of the Words of God as unfolded by these utterances. Reflect for a while upon the behaviour of the companions of the Muhammadan Dispensation. Consider how, through the reviving breath of Muhammad, they were cleansed from the defilements of earthly vanities, were delivered from selfish desires, and were detached from all else but Him. Behold how they preceded all the peoples of the earth in attaining unto His holy Presence—the Presence of God Himself—how they renounced the world and all that is therein, and sacrificed freely and joyously their lives at the feet of that Manifestation of the All-Glorious. And now, observe the “return” of the self-same determination, the self-same constancy and renunciation, manifested by the companions of the Point of the Bayán. Thou hast witnessed how these companions have, through the wonders of the grace of the Lord of Lords, hoisted the standards of sublime renunciation upon the inaccessible heights of glory. These Lights have proceeded from but one Source, and these fruits are the fruits of one Tree. Thou canst discern neither difference nor distinction among them. All this is by the grace of God! On whom He will, He bestoweth His grace. Please God, that we avoid the land of denial, and advance into the ocean of acceptance, so that we may perceive, with an eye purged from all conflicting elements, the worlds of unity and diversity, of variation and oneness, of limitation and detachment, and wing our flight unto the highest and innermost sanctuary of the inner meaning of the Word of God.
Translation Notes
ظاهره
literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation
ملاحظه
literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly
اهل
literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin
معانی
literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense
