Kitáb-i-Íqán — §268

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 268 of 291.

Source (Persian)

از جمله احاديث اين است که می فرمايد: "إذا ظَهَرَتْ رايَةُ الحَقِّ لَعَنَها اَهلُ الشَّرقِ وَالْغَربِ." حال بايد قدری از صهبای انقطاع نوشيد و بر رفرف امتناع مقرّ گزيد و "تَفَکُّرُ ساعَةٍ خَيرٌ مِنْ عِبادَةِ سَبْعينَ سَنَةً." را منظور داشت که آخر سبب اين امر شنيع چه می شود که جميع مردم با اظهار حبّ و طلب حقّ، بعد از ظهور، اهل حقّ را لعن نمايند، چنانچه مستفاد از حديث می شود. و اين واضح است که سبب، نسخ قواعد و رسوم و عادات و آداب است که همه ناس به آن محدود گشتهاند. و إلّا اگر جمال رحمان بر همان رسوم و آداب حرکت نمايد و تصديق کند مردم را در آنچه به آن مشغولند، ديگر چرا اين همه اختلاف و فساد در ملک ظاهر می شود. و مصدّق و مثبت اين حديث شريف، قوله تعالی: "يَوْمَ يَدْعُ الدّاعِ إلی شَيْءٍ نُکُرٍ."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Among them is the tradition, “And when the Standard of Truth is made manifest, the people of both the East and the West curse it.” The wine of renunciation must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be attained, and the meditation referred to in the words “One hour’s reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship” must needs be observed, so that the secret of the wretched behaviour of the people might be discovered, those people who, despite the love and yearning for truth which they profess, curse the followers of Truth when once He hath been made manifest. To this truth the above-mentioned tradition beareth witness. It is evident that the reason for such behaviour is none other than the annulment of those rules, customs, habits, and ceremonials to which they have been subjected. Otherwise, were the Beauty of the Merciful to comply with those same rules and customs, which are current amongst the people, and were He to sanction their observances, such conflict and mischief would in no wise be made manifest in the world. This exalted tradition is attested and substantiated by these words which He hath revealed: “The day when the Summoner shall summon to a stern business.”

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

جمله

j-m-l → “them”

literal: beauty; comeliness

احاديث

ḥ-d-th → “tradition”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

اين

ʾ-y-n → “is”

literal: this; these

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

می

m-y-y

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

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “He” Distinctive

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

ظَهَرَتْ

ẓ-h-r → “is made manifest” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

رايَةُ

r-w-y → “Standard”

literal: standard; banner; flag; ensign; opinion; counsel; judgment; to see; to view; to perceive

الحَقِّ

ḥ-q-q → “Truth”

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

لَعَنَها

l-ʿ-n → “curse”

literal: to curse; to revile; curse

اَهلُ

ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

الشَّرقِ

sh-r-q → “East”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

وَالْغَربِ."

gh-r-b → “West”

literal: west; stranger; exile

حال

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

بايد

b-y-d → “must needs”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

قدری

q-d-r → “might” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

صهبای

ṣ-h-b → “immortal draught”

literal: wine

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “renunciation”

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

نوشيد

n-w-sh → “quaffed” Distinctive

literal: to write; written

بر

b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

رفرف

r-f-r → “retreats”

literal: twinkling; blinking; moment

امتناع

m-n-ʿ → “hinder” Distinctive

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

مقرّ

q-r-r → “acknowledged” Distinctive

literal: matter; affair; thing

گزيد

g-z-y → “observed”

literal: choose; to choose

"تَفَکُّرُ

f-k-r → “reflection”

literal: reflection; reflect; contemplation

ساعَةٍ

s-w-ʿ → “hour”

literal: hour; moment

خَيرٌ

kh-y-r → “good”

literal: goodwill; benevolence; kindness; good; goodness; benefit; better; best

مِنْ

m-n

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

عِبادَةِ

ʿ-b-d → “people”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

سَبْعينَ

s-b-ʿ → “seventy”

literal: seventy; seventh; seven

سَنَةً."

s-n-h → “years”

literal: year; years; year-old

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

منظور

n-ẓ-r

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

داشت

d-ʾ-sh-t → “hath”

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

آخر

ʾ-kh-r → “other”

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

سبب،

s-b-b → “reason” Distinctive

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

شنيع

sh-n-ʿ → “wretched”

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

چه

ch-h

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

شود

sh-w-d

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

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

مردم

m-r-d → “people”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

حبّ

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

طلب

ṭ-l-b → “yearning” Distinctive

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “when once” Distinctive

literal: after; behind; distance

نمايند،

n-m-ʾ

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

چنانچه

ch-n-n

literal: thus; in such manner; as

مستفاد

f-y-d → “idle talk” Distinctive

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

واضح

w-ḍ-ḥ → “evident”

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

نسخ

n-s-kh → “annulment”

literal: abrogator; repealer; one who abrogates or abrogates the law

قواعد

q-ʿ-d → “seat” Distinctive

literal: rule; principle; foundation; basis

رسوم

r-s-m → “customs”

literal: form; custom; tradition; design; symbol

عادات

ʿ-w-d → “habits”

literal: when; if; whenever; at that time

آداب

ʾ-d-b → “conduct”

literal: admonition; discipline; etiquette; courtesy

همه

h-m-h

literal: all; every/all

ناس

n-ʾ-s → “people”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

محدود

ḥ-d-d → “limitations” Distinctive

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

گشتهاند.

g-sh-t → “have been”

literal: become; became; to become

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

رحمان

r-ḥ-m → “Merciful”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

همان

h-m → “all” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

حرکت

ḥ-r-k → “move”

literal: movement; motion; trembling; activity; حراک is unusual; possible typo or dialectal. Standard Arabic would be حرك or اهتزاز for ‘trembling’

تصديق

ṣ-d-q → “sanction” Distinctive

literal: to confirm; to verify; to acknowledge; to testify to truth

کند

k-r-d

literal: to do; to make; to act; to dig, excavate; slow

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

آنچه

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مشغولند،

sh-gh-l → “busied”

literal: to occupy; to engage; to busy; occupation

ديگر

d-g-r

literal: home; place; land; abode

چرا

ch-r-ʾ

literal: why; wherefore

اختلاف

kh-l-f → “conflict” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

فساد

f-s-d → “mischief”

literal: corruption; ruin; discord; mischief; decay

ملک

m-l-k → “world” Distinctive

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

مثبت

th-b-t → “established”

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

شريف،

sh-r-f → “exalted”

literal: honor; nobility; eminence; to honor

قوله

q-w-l → “words”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

تعالی:

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

"يَوْمَ

y-w-m → “day”

literal: day; days; today

يَدْعُ

d-ʿ-w → “summon”

literal: call; invitation; claim

إلی

ʾ-l-y

literal: to; to, toward; to, until

شَيْءٍ

sh-y-ʾ

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

نُکُرٍ."

n-k-r → “denied” Distinctive

literal: deny; denial; deniers

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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

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50 ¶

Gleanings

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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 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

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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 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

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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

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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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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

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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 ¶

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 ¶