Kitáb-i-Íqán — §186

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 186 of 291.

Source (Persian)

چنانچه شخصی در يومی نزد اين فقير بحر معانی حاضر بود و ذکری از علائم قيامت و حشر و نشر و حساب به ميان آمد و اصرار می نمود که حساب خلائق در ظهور بديع چگونه شد که احدی اطّلاع نيافته؟ بعد قدری از صور علميّه و شئونات حکميّه به قدر ادراک و فهم سامع القاء شد. و بعد ذکر شد که اين مدّت مگر تلاوت فرقان ننموده و آيه مبارکه را که می فرمايد: "فَيَومَئِذٍ لا يُسْاَلُ عَن ذَنْبِهِ إنسٌ و لا جَانٌّ " را نديده ايد و به مقصود ملتفت نشده ايد که معنی سؤال چنان نيست که ادراک نموده ايد بلکه سؤال به لسان و بيان نيست چنانچه همين آيه مشعر و مدلّ بر آن است؟ و بعد می فرمايد: "يُعْرَفُ المُجرِمُونَ بِسيِمَاهُمْ فَيُؤخَذُ بِالنَّواصِی وَ الاَقدَامِ ."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And it came to pass that on a certain day a needy man came to visit this Soul, craving for the ocean of His knowledge. While conversing with him, mention was made concerning the signs of the Day of Judgment, Resurrection, Revival, and Reckoning. He urged Us to explain how, in this wondrous Dispensation, the peoples of the world were brought to a reckoning, when none were made aware of it. Thereupon, We imparted unto him, according to the measure of his capacity and understanding, certain truths of Science and ancient Wisdom. We then asked him saying: “Hast thou not read the Qur’án, and art thou not aware of this blessed verse: ‘On that day shall neither man nor spirit be asked of his sin?’ Dost thou not realize that by ‘asking’ is not meant asking by tongue or speech, even as the verse itself doth indicate and prove? For afterward it is said: ‘By their countenance shall the sinners be known, and they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet.’”

Translation Notes

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

شخصی

sh-kh-ṣ → “needy man”

literal: person, individual, self; movement, stirring

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

يومی

y-w-m → “on a certain day”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

نزد

n-z-d → “unto”

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

فقير

f-q-r

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

بحر

b-ḥ-r → “ocean”

literal: sea; ocean

معانی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

حاضر

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

ذکری

dh-k-r → “mention” Distinctive

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

علائم

ʿ-l-m → “signs”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

قيامت

q-w-m → “of the Day of Judgment”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

حشر

ḥ-sh-r → ““resurrection,””

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

نشر

n-sh-r → “spreading”

literal: to scatter; to spread; to unfold; to disseminate

حساب

ḥ-s-b → “and Reckoning”

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

ميان

m-y-n → “midst”

literal: between; among; amid; in the midst of

آمد

ʾ-m-d → “came”

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

اصرار

ṣ-r-r → “He urged”

literal: creaking sound; shrill voice; grating noise

می

m-y-y

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

خلائق

kh-l-q → “peoples of the world” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “this wondrous Dispensation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

بديع

b-d-ʿ

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

چگونه

ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

شد

sh-d → “was”

literal: to become; to be

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

اطّلاع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “aware”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

نيافته؟

y-ʾ-f-t → “found” Distinctive

literal: to find, discover; to obtain, acquire; to find; to obtain; to discover

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “Thereupon” Distinctive

literal: after; behind; distance

قدری

q-d-r → “according to the measure” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

صور

ṣ-w-r → “trumpet-call”

literal: to imagine; to conceive; to suppose

شئونات

sh-ʾ-n

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

حکميّه

ḥ-k-m → “ancient Wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

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

فهم

f-h-m → “understanding”

literal: understanding; comprehension; to understand; to comprehend

سامع

s-m-ʿ → “heard” Distinctive

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

القاء

l-q-y → “Presence”

literal: suggestion; instilling; casting; throwing

مدّت

m-d-d

literal: hopeful; hope; hoping

مگر

m-g-r

literal: matter; affair; thing

تلاوت

t-l-w → “recited”

literal: to recite; to read; to follow

فرقان

f-r-q → “Qur’án”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

ننموده

n-m-ʾ → ““Hast thou not” Distinctive

literal: to do, act, make; deed, action

آيه

ʾ-y-y → “blessed verse”

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

مبارکه

b-r-k

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful; blest; blessed word

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “it is said”

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

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يُسْاَلُ

s-ʾ-l → “asked”

literal: question; problem; issue; matter

عَن

ʿ-n → “of”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

ذَنْبِهِ

dh-n-b → “his sin?’”

literal: sin; crime; offense; fault

إنسٌ

ʾ-n-s → “man” Distinctive

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

جَانٌّ

j-ʾ-n → “lives”

literal: soul; life; spirit; self

نديده

d-y-d → “seen”

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

ايد

ʾ-y-d

literal: come; support; may aid

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “by” Distinctive

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

ملتفت

l-f-t → “turn” Distinctive

literal: to turn; to perceive; to pay attention

سؤال

s-ʾ-l → “I implore Thee” Distinctive

literal: question; problem; issue; matter

چنان

ch-n-ʾ

literal: as; just-as; just as, as

نيست

b-w-d → “is not meant”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

نموده

n-m-ود → “they” Distinctive

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

بلکه

b-l-k

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

لسان

l-s-n → “tongue”

literal: tongue; language

بيان

b-y-n → “speech” Distinctive

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

همين

h-m-n

literal: the same; that very

مشعر

sh-ʿ-r → “consciousness” Distinctive

literal: hair

مدلّ

d-l-l → “proof” Distinctive

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آن

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

"يُعْرَفُ

ʿ-r-f → “known”

literal: knowledge; know; knower

المُجرِمُونَ

j-r-m → “crime” Distinctive

literal: crime; sin; boldness

بِسيِمَاهُمْ

s-w-m → “third” Distinctive

literal: countenance; mark; appearance; distinctive mark

فَيُؤخَذُ

ʾ-kh-dh → “seized”

literal: take; seize; taking

بِالنَّواصِی

n-ṣ-w → “by their forelock” Distinctive

literal: forelock; by-the-forelocks

الاَقدَامِ

q-d-m → “their feet.’””

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

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

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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

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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.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

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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

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 ¶