Kitáb-i-Íqán — §277

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 277 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و از فقهاء و علمای بيان استدعا می نمايم که چنين مشی ننمايند و بر جوهر الهی و نور ربّانی و صرف ازلی و مبدأ و منتهای مظاهر غيبی در زمن مستغاث وارد نياورند آنچه در اين کور وارد شد و به عقول و ادراک و علم متمسّک نشوند و به آن مظهر علوم نامتناهی ربّانی مخاصمه ننمايند. اگر چه با جميع اين وصايا، ديده می شود که شخصی اعور که از رؤسای قوم است در نهايت معارضه بر خيزد. و همچنين در هر بلدی بر نفی آن جمال قدسی برخيزند و اصحاب آن سلطان وجود و جوهر مقصود در کوه ها و صحراها فرار نمايند و از دست ظالمين مستور شوند و برخی توکّل نمايند و با کمال انقطاع جان در بازند. و گويا مشاهده می شود نفسی که به کمال زهد و تقوی موصوف و معروف است، به قسمی که جميع ناس اطاعت او را فرض شمرند و تسليم امرش را لازم دانند، به محاربه با آن اصل شجره الهيّه قيام نمايد و به منتهای جهد و اجتهاد به معارضه بر خيزد. اين است شأن ناس.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

We entreat the learned men of the Bayán not to follow in such ways, not to inflict, at the time of Mustagháth, upon Him Who is the divine Essence, the heavenly Light, the absolute Eternity, the Beginning and the End of the Manifestations of the Invisible, that which hath been inflicted in this day. We beg them not to depend upon their intellect, their comprehension and learning, nor to contend with the Revealer of celestial and infinite knowledge. And yet, notwithstanding all these admonitions, We perceive that a one-eyed man, who himself is the chief of the people, is arising with the utmost malevolence against Us. We foresee that in every city people will arise to suppress the Blessed Beauty, that the companions of that Lord of being and ultimate Desire of all men will flee from the face of the oppressor and seek refuge from him in the wilderness, whilst others will resign themselves and, with absolute detachment, will sacrifice their lives in His path. Methinks We can discern one who is reputed for such devoutness and piety that men deem it an obligation to obey him, and to whose command they consider it necessary to submit, who will arise to assail the very root of the divine Tree, and endeavour to the uttermost of his power to resist and oppose Him. Such is the way of the people!

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

فقهاء

f-q-h → “doctors”

literal: to understand; to comprehend; insight; jurisprudence

علمای

ʿ-l-m → “men” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بيان

b-y-n → “of the Bayán” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

استدعا

d-ʿ-w

literal: call, invocation, summons; to call, invite, summon

می

m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

نمايم

n-m-ʾ → “will”

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

چنين

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

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

مشی

m-sh-y → “tread”

literal: way; manner; gait; to walk; to go; to proceed

ننمايند

n-m-ود → “hath”

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

بر

b-r-r → “upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

جوهر

j-w-h-r → “Essence”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “divine”

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

نور

n-w-r → “Light”

literal: light; illumination

ربّانی

r-b-b → “heavenly” Distinctive

literal: education; upbringing; training; cultivation

صرف

ṣ-r-f → “treatment” Distinctive

literal: pure; absolute; to turn away; to expend

ازلی

ʾ-z-l → “eternal”

literal: eternity; pre-eternity; without beginning; eternal; everlasting; from eternity

مبدأ

b-d-ʾ → “Beginning”

literal: beginning; source; origin, beginning

منتهای

n-h-y → “End” Distinctive

literal: ultimate; extreme; end; utmost

مظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “Manifestations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

غيبی

gh-y-b → “Invisible”

literal: the unseen; the invisible; the hidden; the unknowable; stranger; foreign; alien; separated

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

زمن

z-m-n

literal: time; age; era; period

مستغاث

gh-w-th → “asked His help” Distinctive

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

وارد

w-r-d → “hath befallen” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

نياورند

ʾ-w-r → “refuse” Distinctive

literal: to bring; to cause; not to bring; to not inflict

آنچه

ʾ-n → “that which”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

کور

k-w-r

literal: blind; darkness

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

عقول

ʿ-q-l → “mind”

literal: intellect; wise persons; to understand

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehension” Distinctive

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

متمسّک

m-s-k

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

نامتناهی

m-n-ʿ → “infinite”

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

مخاصمه

kh-ṣ-m

literal: adversary; opponent; to contend

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

چه

ch-h

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

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

وصايا،

w-ṣ-y → “testaments” Distinctive

literal: admonition; admonish; testament

ديده

d-y-d → “seen”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

شود

sh-w-d

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

شخصی

sh-kh-ṣ → “man”

literal: person, individual, self; movement, stirring

اعور

ʿ-w-r → “one-eyed”

literal: one-eyed

رؤسای

r-ʾ-s → “leadership” Distinctive

literal: chief; leader; head; president; beginning

قوم

q-w-m → “people”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

نهايت

n-h-y → “utmost”

literal: ultimate; extreme; end; utmost

معارضه

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away” Distinctive

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

خيزد.

kh-y-z → “arisen”

literal: to rise up; to arise; to stand up

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

بلدی

b-l-d → “city”

literal: city; land; country

نفی

n-f-y

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

جمال

j-m-l → “Beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

قدسی

q-d-s → “Blessed” Distinctive

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

اصحاب

ṣ-ḥ-b → “companions”

literal: possessor; those who have; companion; followers

سلطان

s-l-ṭ → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

وجود

w-j-d → “being”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

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

کوه

k-w-h

literal: mountain, hill, peak

ها

w-j-h → “face”

literal: He; He is

صحراها

ṣ-ḥ-r

literal: desert; wilderness

فرار

f-r-r → “flee”

literal: to flee, escape, run away

دست

d-s-t → “hand”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

ظالمين

ẓ-l-m → “the”

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

مستور

s-t-r → “hidden”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

برخی

b-r-kh

literal: to rise; to stand up; to arise; to rebel

توکّل

w-k-l → “trust”

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority; to rely; to trust; to place trust in

کمال

k-m-l → “absolute”

literal: perfection; completeness; fully; with full; in complete; to complete, perfect, fulfill

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detachment”

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

جان

j-ʾ-n → “lives”

literal: soul; life; spirit; self

بازند.

b-ʾ-kh-t → “sacrifice”

literal: to break, to scatter, to disperse

گويا

g-w-y → “Methinks”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

مشاهده

sh-h-d → “discern” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نفسی

n-f-s → “one”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

زهد

z-h-d → “most righteous” Distinctive

literal: to renounce; to abstain; to have no taste for

تقوی

w-q-y → “Fear”

literal: to protect, safeguard, shield

موصوف

w-ṣ-f → “attributes” Distinctive

literal: to describe, characterize; description

معروف

ʿ-r-f

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

قسمی

q-s-m

literal: oath; division; kind; type

ناس

n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

اطاعت

ṭ-w-ʿ → “obey”

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

او

h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

فرض

f-r-ḍ → “hast bidden” Distinctive

literal: obligatory; incumbent; imposed; prescribed; fixed

شمرند

sh-m-r → “regard”

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

تسليم

s-l-m → “submit”

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

امرش

ʾ-m-r → “command” Distinctive

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

لازم

l-z-m → “necessary”

literal: necessary, incumbent, obligatory, essential

دانند،

d-ʾ-n → “considered” Distinctive

literal: to know, deem, consider, suppose

محاربه

ḥ-r-b

literal: warfare; combat; fighting; hostility

اصل

ʾ-ṣ-l → “essence”

literal: evening; afternoon; noble; ancient; nightfall; genesis

شجره

sh-j-r → “Tree”

literal: tree

جهد

j-h-d → “Strive”

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

شأن

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise”

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

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 ¶