Kitáb-i-Íqán — §190

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 190 of 291.

Source (Persian)

قسم به خدا که اين حمامه ترابی را غير اين نغمات نغمه هاست و جز اين بيانات رموزها که هر نکته ای از آن مقدّس است از آنچه بيان شد و از قلم جاری گشت. تا مشيّت الهی چه وقت قرار گيرد که عروس های معانی بی حجاب از قصر روحانی قدم ظهور به عرصه قدم گذارند. وَ ما مِن اَمْرٍ الّا بَعدَ إذْنِهِ و ما مِن قُدْرَةٍ إلّا بِحَولِهِ و قُوَّتِهِ و ما مِنْ إلهٍ إلّا هُوَ. لَهُ الخَلقُ وَالاَمرُ و کلٌّ بِاَمرِه يَنطِقُونَ و مِنْ اَسرارِ الرُّوحِ يَتَکَلَّمُون.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

By God! This Bird of Heaven, now dwelling upon the dust, can, besides these melodies, utter a myriad songs, and is able, apart from these utterances, to unfold innumerable mysteries. Every single note of its unpronounced utterances is immeasurably exalted above all that hath already been revealed, and immensely glorified beyond that which hath streamed from this Pen. Let the future disclose the hour when the Brides of inner meaning will, as decreed by the Will of God, hasten forth, unveiled, out of their mystic mansions, and manifest themselves in the ancient realm of being. Nothing whatsoever is possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power, and there is none other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit.

Translation Notes

قسم

q-s-m → “By”

literal: oath; division; kind; type

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

خدا

kh-d-ʾ → “God”

literal: God; the Divine

که

k-h → “that which”

literal: that; who; who, that

اين

ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

حمامه

ḥ-m-m → “Doves”

literal: dove; doves; arrived/decreed

ترابی

t-r-b → “now dwelling upon the dust” Distinctive

literal: to carve; to hew; to shape; dust of carving

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

غير

gh-y-r → “besides these” Distinctive

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

نغمات

n-gh-m → “melodies”

literal: melody; tone; note

هاست

h-s-t

literal: is; be; are

جز

j-z → “apart from”

literal: except

بيانات

b-y-n → “utterances”

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

رموزها

r-m-z → “mysteries”

literal: symbolic; hidden; mysterious

هر

h-r → “Every single”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

نکته

n-k-t → “note”

literal: point; subtle matter; fine detail

ای

ʾ-y-y

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مقدّس

q-d-s → “immeasurably exalted”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

است

b-w-d

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

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

جاری

j-r-y → “hath streamed”

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

گشت.

g-sh-t

literal: to become; to turn; to be

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

مشيّت

sh-y-ʾ → “Will”

literal: way; manner; gait; to walk; to go; to proceed

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “of God”

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

چه

ch-h

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

وقت

w-q-t → “hour”

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

قرار

q-r-r → “acknowledged” Distinctive

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

گيرد

g-r-f

literal: to take; to seize; to grasp; to hold; to seek

عروس

ʿ-r-s → “bride”

literal: bride; bridegroom; resplendent

های

null

literal: and; that; in

معانی

ʿ-n-y → “inner meaning”

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

بی

b-y → “without”

literal: without; is; to

حجاب

ḥ-j-b → “unveiled”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

قصر

q-ṣ-r → “mansions”

literal: shortcoming; negligence; falling short; to be deficient

روحانی

r-w-ḥ → “mystic” Distinctive

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

قدم

q-d-m → “ancient”

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

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

عرصه

ʿ-r-ṣ → “realm”

literal: arena; field; space; open place

گذارند.

g-dh-r

literal: to place, leave; to set

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

مِن

m-n

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

اَمْرٍ

ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

بَعدَ

b-ʿ-d

literal: after; behind; distance

إذْنِهِ

ʾ-dh-n → “His permission”

literal: ear; permission; leave; to permit; to allow; to listen

قُدْرَةٍ

q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

بِحَولِهِ

ḥ-w-l → “through His power” Distinctive

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

قُوَّتِهِ

q-w-y

literal: strength; power; might

إلهٍ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

هُوَ.

h-w → “He”

literal: He; He is

الخَلقُ

kh-l-q → “the world of creation”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

وَالاَمرُ

ʾ-m-r → “His the Cause of God”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

کلٌّ

k-l-l → “All”

literal: for us; to us

يَنطِقُونَ

n-ṭ-q → “proclaim”

literal: to speak; to utter; to pronounce; to articulate

اَسرارِ

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

يَتَکَلَّمُون.

k-l-m → “words” Distinctive

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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.

729 ¶

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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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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 ¶

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‘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 ¶