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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §201

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 201 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين در آيه روح که می فرمايد: "وَ يَسْئَلونَکَ عَنِ الرُّوح قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِن اَمْرِ رَبِّی." و چون اين جواب مذکور شد کلّ فرياد واويلا بر آوردند که جاهلی که نمی داند روح چه چيز است خود را عالم علم لدنّی می داند. و اليوم چون علمای عصر به اسم آن حضرت مفتخرند و آبای خود را هم مذعن ديدهاند لهذا تقليداً حکمش را قبول دارند. چنانچه اگر انصاف باشد و اليوم در جواب امثال اين مسائل چنين جواب بشنوند البتّه ردّ نمايند و اعتراض کنند و همان سخن های قبل را اعاده نمايند چنانچه نمودند. با اينکه آن جواهر وجود مقدّسند از کلّ اين علم های مجعوله و منزّهاند از جميع اين کلمات محدوده و متعالی اند از ادراک هر مدرکی. کلّ اين علوم نزد آن علم کذب صرف است و جميع اين ادراکات افک محض.بلکه هرچه از آن معادن حکمت الهی و مخازن علم صمدانی ظاهر می شود علم همان است. "وَ العِلمُ نُقطةٌ کَثَّرَها الجاهِلُونَ" دليل بر آن، "وَ العِلمُ نُورٌ يَقذِفُهُ اللّهُ فِی قَلْبِ مَنْ يَشاء" مثبت اين بيان.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Likewise, in the verse concerning the “Spirit,” He saith: “And they will ask Thee of the Spirit. Say, ‘the Spirit proceedeth at My Lord’s command.’” As soon as Muhammad’s answer was given, they all clamorously protested, saying: “Lo! an ignorant man who knoweth not what the Spirit is, calleth Himself the Revealer of divine Knowledge!” And now behold the divines of the age who, because of their being honoured by His name, and finding that their fathers have acknowledged His Revelation, have blindly submitted to His truth. Observe, were this people today to receive such answers in reply to such questionings, they would unhesitatingly reject and denounce them—nay, they would again utter the self-same cavils, even as they have uttered them in this day. All this, notwithstanding the fact that these Essences of being are immensely exalted above such fanciful images, and are immeasurably glorified beyond all these vain sayings and above the comprehension of every understanding heart. Their so-called learning, when compared with that Knowledge, is utter falsehood, and all their understanding naught but blatant error. Nay, whatsoever proceedeth from these Mines of divine Wisdom and these Treasuries of eternal knowledge is truth, and naught else but the truth. The saying: “Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied” is a proof of Our argument, and the tradition: “Knowledge is a light which God sheddeth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth” a confirmation of Our statement.

Translation Notes

همچنين

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

در

literal: in; in, at; radiant

آيه

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

روح

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

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

می

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

فرمايد:

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

"وَ

literal: and; quotation mark

يَسْئَلونَکَ

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

عَنِ

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

قُلِ

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

مَنْ
m-n “whomsoever” Distinctive

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

اَمْرِ

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

رَبِّی."

literal: Lord; lord; divine

چون

literal: since; when; as

جواب

literal: answer, reply, response

مذکور

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

شد

literal: to become; to be

کلّ

literal: for us; to us

فرياد
f-r-y “calumniated” Distinctive

literal: unique; singular; rare; peerless

واويلا

literal: woe; alas; grief

بر
b-r-r “of” Distinctive

literal: on; on, upon; upon

آوردند

literal: to bring; bring; brought

جاهلی

literal: ignorant; foolish; the ignorant ones

نمی

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

داند
d-ʾ-n “considered” Distinctive

literal: to know; to understand; to recognize

چه

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

چيز

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

است

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

خود

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

را

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

لدنّی

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

اليوم

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

علمای

literal: world; universe; the worlds

عصر

literal: age; era; century; period of time

به

literal: by it; by him; with it

اسم

literal: name; title; designation

آن

literal: that; those; he; she; it

حضرت

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

مفتخرند
f-kh-r “glory” Distinctive

literal: glory; boasting; pride

آبای

literal: father; ancestry; forefathers

هم

literal: endeavor; effort; also

مذعن

literal: to know; to be aware

ديدهاند

literal: see; to see; seen

لهذا

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

تقليداً

literal: imitation; blind following; tradition; conformity

حکمش

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

قبول
q-b-l “before” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

دارند.
d-ʾ-r “repository” Distinctive

literal: to hold, keep, maintain, possess

اگر

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

انصاف

literal: justice; fairness; equity

امثال

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

بشنوند

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

البتّه

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

ردّ

literal: rejected; repudiated

نمايند

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

اعتراض

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

کنند

literal: do; to do; do, make

همان
h-m “all” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

سخن

literal: word; speech; discourse; utterance

های

literal: and; that; in

اعاده

literal: tool; instrument; means

نمودند.

literal: do; to do; do/make

با

literal: to; with; by

اينکه
ʾ-y-n “this Chapter” Distinctive

literal: this; these

جواهر

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

وجود

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

مقدّسند

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

از

literal: from

مجعوله
j-ʿ-l “make” Distinctive

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

منزّهاند
n-z-h “sanctified” Distinctive

literal: exaltation; exalted; transcendence

جميع

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

کلمات

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

محدوده

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

متعالی

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ادراک
d-r-k “comprehension” Distinctive

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

هر

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

مدرکی.

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

نزد

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

کذب

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

صرف

literal: pure; absolute; to turn away; to expend

افک
ʾ-f-k “shed” Distinctive

literal: creation; creation act

محض.بلکه

literal: pure; mere; pure, merely

معادن

literal: mine; source; origin; repository

حکمت

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

الهی

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

مخازن

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

صمدانی

literal: eternal, self-sufficient, divine, the Eternal

ظاهر
ẓ-h-r “proceedeth” Distinctive

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

شود

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

نُقطةٌ

literal: point; dot; spot; region; area

کَثَّرَها

literal: most; many; most/majority

دليل

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

نُورٌ

literal: light; illumination

يَقذِفُهُ

literal: cast, throw; cast

فِی

literal: in; in-it; in it

قَلْبِ

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

يَشاء"
sh-y-ʾ “willeth”” Distinctive

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

مثبت

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

بيان.

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

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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