Kitáb-i-Íqán — §256

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 256 of 291.

Source (Persian)

ولکن معلوم باشد که اين علما و فقها که مذکور شد هيچ يک رياست ظاهره نداشتهاند چه که محال است علمای مقتدر معروف عصر که بر صدرحکم جالسند و بر سرير امر ساکن، تابع حقّ شوند إلّا مَن شاءَ رَبُّکَ. چنين امری در عالم ظهور ننمود مگر قليلی "و قَليلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّکورُ." چنانچه در اين عهد احدی از علمای مشهور که زمام ناس در قبضه حکم ايشان بود اقبال نجستند. بلکه به تمام بغض و انکار در دفع کوشيدند به قسمی که هيچ گوشی نشنيده و هيچ چشمی نديده.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Let it be known, however, that none of these doctors and divines to whom we have referred was invested with the rank and dignity of leadership. For well-known and influential leaders of religion, who occupy the seats of authority and exercise the functions of leadership, can in no wise bear allegiance to the Revealer of truth, except whomsoever thy Lord willeth. But for a few, such things have never come to pass. “And few of My servants are the thankful.” Even as in this Dispensation, not one amongst the renowned divines, in the grasp of whose authority were held the reins of the people, hath embraced the Faith. Nay, they have striven against it with such animosity and determination that no ear hath heard and no eye hath seen the like.

Translation Notes

ولکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “known”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

باشد

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

فقها

f-q-h

literal: to understand; to comprehend; insight; jurisprudence

مذکور

dh-k-r → “referred”

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

شد

sh-d → “we have” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

هيچ

h-y-ch → “any”

literal: nothing; any; not a single

يک

y-k → “none”

literal: one; a single

رياست

r-ʾ-s → “leadership”

literal: ostentation; hypocrisy; vainglory; ruin

ظاهره

ẓ-h-r

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

نداشتهاند

d-ʾ-sh-t → “have no” Distinctive

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

محال

ḥ-l-l → “place” Distinctive

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

مقتدر

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

معروف

ʿ-r-f → “well-known”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

عصر

ʿ-ṣ-r

literal: age; era; century; period of time

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

صدرحکم

ṣ-d-ر/ح-k-m

literal: to issue, emanate, proceed; issued, emanating

جالسند

j-l-s → “leadership” Distinctive

literal: council; assembly; gathering; session

سرير

s-r-r

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

امر

ʾ-m-r → “authority” Distinctive

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

ساکن،

s-k-n

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

تابع

t-b-ʿ → “follow”

literal: to follow; to obey; to pursue

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “Revealer of truth”

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

شوند

sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

مَن

m-n → “whomsoever” Distinctive

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

شاءَ

sh-y-ʾ → “willeth” Distinctive

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

رَبُّکَ.

r-b-b → “thy Lord”

literal: Lord; lord; divine

چنين

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

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

امری

ʾ-m-r

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

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ننمود

n-m-ʾ → “have never come to pass”

literal: is not; not to be; does not exist; negation, denial, banishment; to negate, deny, banish; contradiction; opposition; contrariety

مگر

m-g-r → “But for” Distinctive

literal: matter; affair; thing

قليلی

q-l-l → “few”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

"و

w-w-w

literal: and; quotation mark

عِبَادِيَ

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

الشَّکورُ."

sh-k-r → “render thanks” Distinctive

literal: thanks; thankful; manifest, clear

عهد

ʿ-h-d → “Dispensation”

literal: covenant; testament; promise; command

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “not one” Distinctive

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

مشهور

sh-h-r → “well-known”

literal: city; month; fame, renown

زمام

z-m-m → “reins”

literal: reins; bridle; control; governance

ناس

n-ʾ-s → “people”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

قبضه

q-b-ḍ → “grasp”

literal: grasp; grip; control; seize

حکم

ḥ-k-m → “authority” Distinctive

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

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

اقبال

q-b-l → “hath embraced” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

نجستند.

j-s-t → “have clung” Distinctive

literal: unclean; polluted; sullied; defiled

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay”

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

به

b-h → “with” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

تمام

t-m-m → “all”

literal: most complete; to complete; perfect; fullness

بغض

b-gh-ḍ → “animosity”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

انکار

n-k-r → “denied”

literal: denial; rejection; repudiation; wrong; evil; to deny; to reject

دفع

d-f-ʿ → “repel”

literal: to push; to repel; to ward off; to avert; to impel

کوشيدند

k-w-sh

literal: effort; endeavour; exertion; striving; to strive; to endeavor; to toil; to struggle; to attempt

قسمی

q-s-m

literal: oath; division; kind; type

گوشی

g-w-sh → “ear”

literal: ear; hearing; to listen

نشنيده

sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

چشمی

ch-sh-m → “eyes” Distinctive

literal: eye; vision; sight

نديده.

d-y-d → “seen”

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

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.

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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 ¶

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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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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 ¶