Kitáb-i-Íqán — §252

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 252 of 291.

Source (Persian)

آيا نبود که از قبل امر سيّد الشّهداء را اعظم امور و اکبر دليل بر حقّيّت آن حضرت می شمردند و می گفتند در عالم چنين امری اتّفاق نيفتاد و حقّی به اين استقامت و ظهور ظاهر نشد؟ با اينکه امر آن حضرت از صبح تا ظهر بيشتر امتداد نيافت و ليکن اين انوار مقدّسه هيجده سنه می گذرد که بلايا از جميع جهات مثل باران بر آنها باريد. و به چه عشق و حبّ و محبّت و ذوق که جان رايگان در سبيل سبحان انفاق نمودند چنانچه بر همه واضح و مبرهن است. با وجود اين چگونه اين امر را سهل شمرند؟ آيا در هيچ عصر چنين امر خطيری ظاهر شده و آيا اگر اين اصحاب مجاهد فی اللّه نباشند ديگر که مجاهد خواهد بود؟ و آيا اينها طالب عزّت و مکنت و ثروت بودند؟ و آيا مقصودی جز رضای حقّ داشتند؟ و اگر اين همه اصحاب با اين آثار عجيبه و افعال غريبه باطل باشند ديگر که سزاوار است که دعوی حقّ نمايد؟ قسم به خدا که همين فعلشان برای جميع من علی الارض حجّت کافی و دليل وافی است لو کانَ النّاسُ فی اَسْرارِ الاَمر يَتَفَکَّرُونَ." وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذينَ ظَلَمُوا اَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Were not the happenings of the life of the “Prince of Martyrs” regarded as the greatest of all events, as the supreme evidence of his truth? Did not the people of old declare those happenings to be unprecedented? Did they not maintain that no manifestation of truth hath ever evinced such constancy, such conspicuous glory? And yet, that episode of his life, commencing as it did in the morning, was brought to a close by the middle of the same day, whereas, these holy lights have, for eighteen years, heroically endured the showers of afflictions which, from every side, have rained upon them. With what love, what devotion, what exultation and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this all witness. And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings? If these companions be not the true strivers after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these companions been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they cherished any desire except the good-pleasure of God? If these companions, with all their marvellous testimonies and wondrous works, be false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by God! Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all the peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries of divine Revelation. “And they who act unjustly shall soon know what lot awaiteth them!”

Translation Notes

آيا

ʾ-y-y → “signs”

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

نبود

b-w-d → “Were not” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to remain

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

قبل

q-b-l → “of old”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

امر

ʾ-m-r → “happenings” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

سيّد

s-y-d → “my Master” Distinctive

literal: master; lord; chief; my master

الشّهداء

sh-h-d → “Martyrs””

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “greatest” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

اکبر

k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: liver; soul; essence

دليل

d-l-l → “evidence”

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

بر

b-r-r → “of” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

حقّيّت

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

آن

ʾ-n → “his” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “life” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

می

m-y-y

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

شمردند

sh-m-r → “regarded”

literal: to count; to regard; to esteem; to consider

گفتند

g-f-t → “said” Distinctive

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “the”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

چنين

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

literal: such; thus; in this manner; like this

امری

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

اتّفاق

w-f-q → “be” Distinctive

literal: accord, agreement, harmony; to agree, accord with

نيفتاد

f-t-d → “fallen” Distinctive

literal: fall; fallen; fell

به

b-h → “With” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

استقامت

q-w-m → “constancy”

literal: sickness; disease; ailment

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation”

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

نشد؟

sh-d → “was” Distinctive

literal: to become; to occur; to happen; to be

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

اينکه

ʾ-y-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: this; these

صبح

ṣ-b-ḥ → “morning”

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

بيشتر

b-y-sh

literal: increase; abundance; more; greater; excess

امتداد

m-d-d

literal: extended; outstretched; sustained

نيافت

y-ʾ-f

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

ليکن

l-k-n

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

انوار

n-w-r → “lights”

literal: light; illumination

مقدّسه

q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

سنه

s-n-h → “years”

literal: year; way; tradition; custom

گذرد

g-dh-r

literal: pass; place; passed

بلايا

b-l-w → “afflictions”

literal: affliction; trial; calamity

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

جهات

j-h-t → “side”

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

مثل

m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

باران

b-r-n → “showers”

literal: rain; to rain

آنها

null → ““death””

literal: that, it; to be; indeed

باريد.

b-r-d → “brother” Distinctive

literal: brother

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

عشق

ʿ-sh-q → “love”

literal: love, passion, ardor

حبّ

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

ذوق

dh-w-q → “rapture”

literal: to taste; taste, flavor

جان

j-ʾ-n → “lives”

literal: soul; life; spirit; self

رايگان

r-y-g

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

سبيل

s-b-l → “path”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

سبحان

s-b-ḥ → “All-Glorious” Distinctive

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

انفاق

n-f-q → “sacrificed”

literal: hypocrisy; sedition; discord; betrayal

نمودند

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

همه

h-m-h → “all”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

واضح

w-ḍ-ḥ

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

مبرهن

b-r-h-n

literal: human; mankind; human nature

وجود

w-j-d

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

چگونه

ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

سهل

s-h-l → “belittle”

literal: easy; to make easy; to regard as light

هيچ

h-y-ch → “any”

literal: nothing; any; not a single

عصر

ʿ-ṣ-r → “age”

literal: age; era; century; period of time

خطيری

kh-ṭ-r → “momentous”

literal: danger; peril; risk; to cross the mind

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

اصحاب

ṣ-ḥ-b → “companions”

literal: possessor; those who have; companion; followers

مجاهد

j-h-d → “strivers”

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

ديگر

d-g-r → “else” Distinctive

literal: home; place; land; abode

خواهد

kh-w-h → “shall”

literal: will; to wish; to want

طالب

ṭ-l-b → “seekers”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

عزّت

ʿ-z-z → “glory”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

مکنت

m-k-n → “power”

literal: place; possibility; possible

ثروت

th-r-w → “riches”

literal: wealth, riches, affluence

مقصودی

q-ṣ-d → “desire”

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

جز

j-z → “apart from”

literal: except

رضای

r-ḍ-y → “good-pleasure”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction

داشتند؟

d-ʾ-sh → “have been”

literal: to have; to hold; to keep

آثار

ʾ-th-r → “signs”

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

عجيبه

ʿ-j-b → “marvellous”

literal: wonder; amazement; marvelous; strange

افعال

f-ʿ-l → “works”

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

غريبه

gh-r-b → “wondrous”

literal: west; sunset; place of setting

باطل

b-ṭ-l → “false”

literal: falsehood, false; vain, null

سزاوار

s-z-w → “beseemeth”

literal: worthy; fitting; deserving; appropriate; suitable

دعوی

d-ʿ-w → “claim”

literal: to claim; to allege; claim; assertion; to assert

نمايد؟

n-m-ʾ

literal: do; show; make

قسم

q-s-m → “swear”

literal: oath; division; kind; type

خدا

kh-d-ʾ → “God”

literal: God; the Divine

همين

h-m-n → “Help in Peril” Distinctive

literal: the same; that very

برای

b-r-y

literal: for; on; briefly

من

m-n

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

علی

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

حجّت

ḥ-j-j → “testimony”

literal: path, way; clear path

کافی

k-f-y → “sufficient”

literal: to be content; to suffice; to be satisfied; to be satisfied with

وافی

w-f-y → “fidelity” Distinctive

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

لو

l-w

literal: if; would that; O that

کانَ

k-w-n

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

النّاسُ

n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

اَسْرارِ

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

يَتَفَکَّرُونَ."

f-k-r → “ponder”

literal: reflection; thought; reflect

الَّذينَ

l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

ظَلَمُوا

ẓ-l-m → “unjustly”

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

اَيَّ

ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

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

مُنْقَلَبٍ

q-l-b → “lot”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

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 ¶