Kitáb-i-Íqán — §178

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 178 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين ذکر خاتم النّبيّين و امثال آن از سبحات مجلّله است که کشف آن از اعظم امور است نزد اين همج رعاع. و جميع به اين حجبات محدوده و سبحات مجلّله عظيمه محتجب ماندهاند. آيا نغمه طير هويَّه را نشنيدهاند که می فرمايد: "الف فاطمه نکاح نمودم که همه بنت محمّد بن عبداللّه خاتم النّبيّين بودند ؟ حال ملاحظه فرما که چقدر از اسرار در سرادق علم الهی مستور است و چه مقدار جواهر علم او در خزائن عصمت مکنون تا يقين نمائی که صنع او را بدايت و نهايتی نبوده و نخواهد بود و فضای قضای او اعظم از آن است که به بيان تحديد شود و يا طير افئده آن را طيّ نمايد و تقديرات قدريّه او اکبر از آن است که به ادراک نفسی منتهی شود. خلق او از اوّل لا اوّل بوده و آخری او را اخذ نکرده و مظاهر جمال او الی نهاية لا نهايه خواهند بود و ابتدائی او را نديده. حال در همين بيان ملاحظه فرما که چگونه حکم آن بر جميع اين طلعات صدق می نمايد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Furthermore, among the “veils of glory” are such terms as the “Seal of the Prophets” and the like, the removal of which is a supreme achievement in the sight of these base-born and erring souls. All, by reason of these mysterious sayings, these grievous “veils of glory,” have been hindered from beholding the light of truth. Have they not heard the melody of that bird of Heaven, uttering this mystery: “A thousand Fátimihs I have espoused, all of whom were the daughters of Muhammad, Son of ‘Abdu’lláh, the ‘Seal of the Prophets?’” Behold, how many are the mysteries that lie as yet unravelled within the tabernacle of the knowledge of God, and how numerous the gems of His wisdom that are still concealed in His inviolable treasuries! Shouldest thou ponder this in thine heart, thou wouldst realize that His handiwork knoweth neither beginning nor end. The domain of His decree is too vast for the tongue of mortals to describe, or for the bird of the human mind to traverse; and the dispensations of His providence are too mysterious for the mind of man to comprehend. His creation no end hath overtaken, and it hath ever existed from the “Beginning that hath no beginning”; and the Manifestations of His Beauty no beginning hath beheld, and they will continue to the “End that knoweth no end.” Ponder this utterance in thine heart, and reflect how it is applicable unto all these holy Souls.

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “likewise”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

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

خاتم

kh-t-m → ““Seal”

literal: to seal; to conclude; to end; seal

النّبيّين

n-b-y → “of the Prophets””

literal: prophet; prophets

امثال

m-th-l → “like”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

آن

ʾ-n → “as” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

از

ʾ-z → “the” Distinctive

literal: from

سبحات

s-b-ḥ → ““veils of glory””

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

مجلّله

j-l-l → “glory” Distinctive

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

کشف

k-sh-f → “unveiled” Distinctive

literal: unveiling; disclosure; revelation

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “supreme achievement” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

امور

ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

نزد

n-z-d → “in the sight”

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

همج

h-m-j → “abject”

literal: vain; base-born; worthless; confused rabble

رعاع.

r-ʿ-ʿ → “foolish”

literal: rabble; base people; contemptible; foolish; vile

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

به

b-h → “of” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

حجبات

ḥ-j-b → “veils”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

محدوده

ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

ماندهاند.

m-ʾ-n

literal: remain; remained; to remain

آيا

ʾ-y-y → “signs”

literal: does; is it that (interrogative particle); sign; verse; O! (vocative particle); him; them (object pronoun)

نغمه

n-gh-m → “melody”

literal: melody; tone; note

طير

ṭ-y-r → “bird”

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

هويَّه

h-w-y → “of Heaven” Distinctive

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

نشنيدهاند

sh-n-w → “heard the”

literal: hear; to hear; heard

می

m-y-y → “will be made”

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

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “saith”

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

"الف

ʾ-l-f → “thousand” Distinctive

literal: thousand; thousands; intimacy/unity

فاطمه

f-ṭ-m → “his mother’s milk”

literal: Fatimah; weaning

نکاح

n-k-ḥ → “espoused”

literal: reproof; blame; censure; reproach; marriage; to marry

نمودم

n-m-w → “I have”

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

همه

h-m-h → “all”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

بنت

b-n-t → “daughter”

literal: daughter; girl

محمّد

ḥ-m-d → “thanks”

literal: praise; Muhammad; praised

بن

b-n-y → “Son”

literal: that; in that; because

عبداللّه

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

حال

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “ponder” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

چقدر

ch-q-d → “How all-encompassing”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

اسرار

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

سرادق

s-r-d-q → “tabernacle”

literal: pavilion; tabernacle; canopy; tent

علم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “of God”

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

مستور

s-t-r → “hidden”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

چه

ch-h → “For”

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

جواهر

j-w-h-r → “gems”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

او

h-w-w → “of His” Distinctive

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

خزائن

kh-z-n → “His inviolable treasuries”

literal: to store, to treasure; storehouse, depository, treasury

عصمت

ʿ-ṣ-m

literal: immaculate; protected; infallible

مکنون

k-n-n → “concealed”

literal: to do; to make; to perform

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

يقين

y-q-n → “Shouldest thou” Distinctive

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

نمائی

n-m-ʾ → “may”

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

صنع

ṣ-n-ʿ → “handiwork”

literal: fashioning; making; creation; artifice

بدايت

b-d-ʾ → “beginning” Distinctive

literal: beginning; primacy; originality; origin; principle; starting point; commencement; start; inception; creation

نهايتی

n-h-y → “end”

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

نخواهد

kh-w-h

literal: will; to wish; to want

فضای

f-ḍ-w → “realm”

literal: space; expanse; void

قضای

q-ḍ-y → “decree”

literal: requirement; exigency; what demands or calls for; to require; to necessitate; to demand

بيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

شود

sh-w-d → “be”

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

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

افئده

f-ʾ-d → “heart”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

طيّ

ṭ-y-y → “traverse”

literal: traverse; folding

تقديرات

q-d-r → “power” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

اکبر

k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: liver; soul; essence

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend

نفسی

n-f-s → “of man” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

خلق

kh-l-q → “creation no end”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

اوّل

ʾ-w-l → ““Beginning that hath no beginning””

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

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

آخری

ʾ-kh-r

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

اخذ

ʾ-kh-dh

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

نکرده

k-r-d

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

مظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “Manifestations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

جمال

j-m-l → “Beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

الی

ʾ-l-y → “to”

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

نهاية

n-h-y → ““End that knoweth no end.”” Distinctive

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

خواهند

kh-w-ʾ-h → “will continue”

literal: to will; to want; shall; will (future auxiliary)

نديده.

d-y-d

literal: Persian verb دیدن (to see), not Arabic د-ي-د

همين

h-m-n → “this”

literal: the same; that very

چگونه

ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

حکم

ḥ-k-m

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

بر

b-r-r → “unto”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

طلعات

ṭ-l-ʿ → “holy Souls” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

صدق

ṣ-d-q → “is applicable” Distinctive

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

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 ¶