Kitáb-i-Íqán — §267

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 267 of 291.

Source (Persian)

اگر چه اين بنده اراده ذکر احاديث قبل را نداشتم و ليکن نظر به محبّت آن جناب چند روايتی که مناسب اين مقام است ذکر می نمايم. با اينکه فی الحقيقه احتياج نيست زيرا که آنچه ذکر شده جميع ارض و من عليها را کافی است. و فی الحقيقه جميع کتب و اسرار آن در اين مختصر ذکر شده به قسمی که اگر کسی قدری تأمّل نمايد جميع اسرار کلمات الهی و امور ظاهره از آن سلطان حقيقی را از آنچه ذکر شده ادراک می نمايد. و ليکن چون همه ناس بر يک شأن و يک مقام نيستند لهذا چند حديثی ذکر می نمايم تا سبب استقامت انفس متزلزله شود و اطمينان عقول مضطربه گردد و همچنين حجّت الهی بر اعالی و ادانی عباد تامّ و کامل گردد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Although We did not intend to make mention of the traditions of a bygone age, yet, because of Our love for thee, We will cite a few which are applicable to Our argument. We do not feel their necessity, however, inasmuch as the things We have already mentioned suffice the world and all that is therein. In fact, all the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof are condensed into this brief account. So much so, that were a person to ponder it a while in his heart, he would discover from all that hath been said the mysteries of the Words of God, and would apprehend the meaning of whatever hath been manifested by that ideal King. As the people differ in their understanding and station, We will accordingly make mention of a few traditions, that these may impart constancy to the wavering soul, and tranquillity to the troubled mind. Thereby, will the testimony of God unto the people, both high and low, be complete and perfect.

Translation Notes

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

چه

ch-h

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

بنده

b-n-d → “We”

literal: servants; bondsmen; slaves

اراده

r-w-d → “desire”

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

ذکر

dh-k-r → “make mention”

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

احاديث

ḥ-d-th → “traditions”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

قبل

q-b-l → “before”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

نداشتم

d-ʾ-sh-t → “have no” Distinctive

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

ليکن

l-k-n → “yet” Distinctive

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

نظر

n-ẓ-r → “because” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

محبّت

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

جناب

j-n-b → “thee”

literal: to avoid; to shun; to keep away from

چند

ch-n-d → “while” Distinctive

literal: some; several; a few; how many

روايتی

r-w-y

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

مناسب

n-s-b → “relationship” Distinctive

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

مقام

q-w-m → “argument” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

می

m-y-y

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

نمايم.

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

فی

f-y → “In”

literal: in; in-it; in it

الحقيقه

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

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

احتياج

ḥ-w-j → “need”

literal: need; necessity; requirement

نيست

b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

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

زيرا

z-y-r → “inasmuch as”

literal: because; since; for; inasmuch as

آنچه

ʾ-n → “things” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

شده

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all that”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “world” Distinctive

literal: earth; land; ground; country

من

m-n

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

عليها

ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

کافی

k-f-y → “suffice”

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

کتب

k-t-b → “Scriptures”

literal: book; scripture; writing

اسرار

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مختصر

kh-ṣ-r → “brief”

literal: brevity; brief; brevity, conciseness

قسمی

q-s-m → “swear” Distinctive

literal: oath; division; kind; type

کسی

k-s → “him”

literal: someone; anyone; a person

قدری

q-d-r → “while”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

تأمّل

ʾ-m-l → “ponder”

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

کلمات

k-l-m → “Words”

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

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

امور

ʾ-m-r

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

ظاهره

ẓ-h-r → “manifested”

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

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

سلطان

s-l-ṭ → “King”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ادراک

d-r-k → “apprehend”

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

چون

ch-w-n → “As”

literal: since; when; as

همه

h-m-h

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

ناس

n-ʾ-s → “people”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

يک

y-k

literal: one; a single

شأن

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

نيستند

h-s-t → “are” Distinctive

literal: is; be; are

لهذا

l-dh-ʾ → “therefore”

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

انفس

n-f-s → “soul”

literal: self; soul; souls

متزلزله

z-l-z-l → “dismayed”

literal: to shake; to quake; to be shaken; to be moved

شود

sh-w-d

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

اطمينان

ṭ-m-n → “tranquillity”

literal: to be at peace; to be reassured; to settle down

عقول

ʿ-q-l → “mind”

literal: intellect; wise persons; to understand

مضطربه

ḍ-r-b → “troubled” Distinctive

literal: to be troubled, shaken, agitated; to tremble

گردد

g-r-d

literal: become; to become; make

همچنين

ch-n-n → “likewise”

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

حجّت

ḥ-j-j → “testimony”

literal: path, way; clear path

اعالی

ʿ-l-w → “high”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ادانی

d-n-w → “low”

literal: to know; to understand

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “people”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

تامّ

t-m-m → “complete”

literal: mother

کامل

k-m-l → “perfect”

literal: desire; appetite; lust; will; heap; hill; mound

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

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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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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 ¶

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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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57 ¶

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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 ¶