Kitáb-i-Íqán — §269

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 269 of 291.

Source (Persian)

باری، چون منادی احديّه از ورای حجبات قدسيّه مردم را به انقطاع تمام می خواند از آنچه که در دست دارند، و اين ندای الهی چون مخالف هوی است لهذا اين همه افتتان و امتحان رو می دهد. و حالِ مردم را ملاحظه نما که هيچ ذکر اين احاديث محکمه را که جميع ظاهر شده نمی نمايند و لکن آن احاديثی که صحّت و سقم آن معلوم نيست تمسّک به آنها جستهاند که چرا ظاهر نشد. و حال آنکه آنچه را هم که تعقّل ننمودهاند ظاهر شد و باهر گشت. و آثار و علامات حقّ به مثل شمس در وسط سماء لائح، مع ذلک عباد در تيه جهل و نادانی سرگردان ماندهاند. با اينکه چقدر از آيات فرقانيّه و روايات محقّقه که جميع دالّ است بر شرع و حکم جديد و امر بديع، باز منتظرند که طلعت موعود بر شريعت فرقان حکم فرمايد چنانچه يهود و نصاری همين حرف را می گويند.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The divine call of the celestial Herald from beyond the Veil of Glory, summoning mankind to renounce utterly all the things to which they cleave, is repugnant to their desire; and this is the cause of the bitter trials and violent commotions which have occurred. Consider the way of the people. They ignore these well-founded traditions, all of which have been fulfilled, and cling unto those of doubtful validity, and ask why these have not been fulfilled. And yet, those things which to them were inconceivable have been made manifest. The signs and tokens of the Truth shine even as the midday sun, and yet the people are wandering, aimlessly and perplexedly, in the wilderness of ignorance and folly. Notwithstanding all the verses of the Qur’án, and the recognized traditions, which are all indicative of a new Faith, a new Law, and a new Revelation, this generation still waiteth in expectation of beholding the promised One who should uphold the Law of the Muhammadan Dispensation. The Jews and the Christians in like manner uphold the same contention.

Translation Notes

باری،

b-r-y

literal: well; cistern; pit

چون

ch-w-n → “As”

literal: since; when; as

منادی

n-d-y → “voice” Distinctive

literal: call; voice; proclamation; forty; forty years

احديّه

ʾ-ḥ-d → “celestial” Distinctive

literal: oneness; uniqueness; absolute unity; singularity of God

از

ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

ورای

w-r-y → “beyond”

literal: mankind; people; human beings; behind; after

حجبات

ḥ-j-b → “Veil”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

قدسيّه

q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

مردم

m-r-d → “mankind” Distinctive

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

به

b-h → “to”

literal: by it; by him; with it

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detachment”

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

تمام

t-m-m → “utterly” Distinctive

literal: most complete; to complete; perfect; fullness

می

m-y-y

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

خواند

kh-w-n-d → “summoning”

literal: to read; unread; illiterate

آنچه

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

دست

d-s-t → “hand”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

دارند،

d-ʾ-r → “repository” Distinctive

literal: to hold, keep, maintain, possess

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

الهی

ʾ-l-h

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

مخالف

kh-l-f → “contrary”

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

هوی

h-w-y → “desire”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

لهذا

l-dh-ʾ → “therefore”

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

همه

h-m-h → “all”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

افتتان

f-t-n → “trials”

literal: trial; tribulation; temptation; sedition; discord; strife

امتحان

m-ḥ-n → “trials”

literal: trial; tribulation; affliction; test

رو

r-w-y

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

دهد.

d-h → “imputed” Distinctive

literal: to give; to grant; to yield

حالِ

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “Consider”

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

نما

n-m-ʾ

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

هيچ

h-y-ch

literal: nothing; any; not a single

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

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

احاديث

ḥ-d-th → “traditions”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

محکمه

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom” Distinctive

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

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “fulfilled” Distinctive

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

شده

sh-d → “been”

literal: to become; to be

نمی

n-h-y

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

لکن

l-k-n

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

صحّت

ṣ-ḥ-ḥ → “whole” Distinctive

literal: health; sound; correct

سقم

s-q-m → “sickness”

literal: sickness; disease; ailment

معلوم

ʿ-l-m

literal: world; universe; the worlds

تمسّک

m-s-k → “cleave”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

آنها

null

literal: that, it; to be; indeed

جستهاند

j-s-t → “have clung”

literal: to seek; to cling; to grasp; to strive

چرا

ch-r-ʾ → “Why should”

literal: why; wherefore

هم

h-m-m

literal: endeavor; effort; also

تعقّل

ʿ-q-l → “mind” Distinctive

literal: intellect; minds; understand

باهر

b-h-r

literal: portion, share; for the sake of; spring (season)

گشت.

g-sh-t → “were”

literal: to become; to turn; to be

آثار

ʾ-th-r → “signs”

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

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “Truth”

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

مثل

m-th-l → “as”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

شمس

sh-m-s → “sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

وسط

w-s-ṭ → “meridian”

literal: mediator; intermediary; means; to mediate

سماء

s-m-w

literal: heaven; sky

لائح،

l-w-ḥ → “Tablet” Distinctive

literal: to appear; to shine; to flash; to gleam

مع

m-ʿ → “Notwithstanding”

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلک

dh-l-k

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “people”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

تيه

t-y-h → “wilderness”

literal: wilderness

جهل

j-h-l → “ignorance”

literal: ignorant; foolish; the ignorant ones

نادانی

d-ʾ-n

literal: know; to know; knowledge

سرگردان

g-r-d → “become”

literal: become; to become; make

ماندهاند.

m-ʾ-n

literal: remain; remained; to remain

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

چقدر

ch-q-d

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

آيات

ʾ-y-y → “verses”

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

فرقانيّه

f-r-q → “Qur’án”

literal: faction; sect; group; company

روايات

r-w-y → “traditions”

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

دالّ

d-l-l → “proof” Distinctive

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

بر

b-r-r → “of a” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

شرع

sh-r-ʿ → “Faith, a new Law”

literal: law; legislation; religious law; canon; ordinance

حکم

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

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

جديد

j-d-d → “new”

literal: new, novel, renewed; novelty, innovation

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Revelation”

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

بديع،

b-d-ʿ → “new”

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

باز

b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: back; open; back, open

منتظرند

n-ẓ-r → “waiteth in expectation”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

طلعت

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

موعود

w-ʿ-d

literal: promised; the Promised One

فرمايد

f-r-m → “saith”

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

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “in like manner” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

يهود

y-h-d → “Jews”

literal: Jews; Jew; Judea

نصاری

n-ṣ-r → “Christians”

literal: aid, help, succor, victory, support

همين

h-m-n → “Help in Peril” Distinctive

literal: the same; that very

حرف

ḥ-r-f → “contention” Distinctive

literal: letter; character; edge

گويند.

g-w-y

literal: say; to say; as-if

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 ¶