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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §286

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 286 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و ليکن احدی از اهل ارض مشاهده نمی شود که طالب حقّ باشد تا آنکه در مسائل غامضه رجوع به مظاهر احديّه نمايد. کلّ در ارض نسيان ساکن و به اهل بغی و طغيان متّبع. وَلکنّ اللّهَ يَفعَلُ بِهِم کَما هُم يَعمَلون و يَنْساهم کما نَسَوا لِقائَه فی اَيّامِهِ وَ کَذلِکَ قُضِيَ عَلَی الَّذين کَفَرُوا و يُقضَی عَلَی الَّذين هُم کانوا بِآياتِهِ يَجحَدُونَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

We perceive none, however, amongst the people of the earth who, sincerely yearning for the Truth, seeketh the guidance of the divine Manifestations concerning the abstruse matters of his Faith. All are dwellers in the land of oblivion, and all are followers of the people of wickedness and rebellion. God will verily do unto them that which they themselves are doing, and will forget them even as they have ignored His Presence in His day. Such is His decree unto those that have denied Him, and such will it be unto them that have rejected His signs.

Translation Notes

ليکن
l-k-n → “however” Distinctive

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

احدی
ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

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

از
ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

اهل
ʾ-h-l → “people”

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

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

مشاهده
sh-h-d → “perceive”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نمی
n-h-y

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

شود
sh-w-d

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

که
k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

طالب
ṭ-l-b → “seeketh” Distinctive

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

حقّ
ḥ-q-q → “Truth”

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

باشد
b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

تا
t-y-y → “for” Distinctive

literal: so that/until

آنکه
ʾ-n

literal: that; indeed; that, to

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مسائل
s-ʾ-l → “I implore Thee” Distinctive

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

غامضه
gh-m-ḍ

literal: closing of the eye; overlooking; disregarding

رجوع
r-j-ʿ → “return”

literal: return; reference; place of return; resort

به
b-h → “of” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

مظاهر
ẓ-h-r → “Manifestations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

نمايد.
n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

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

کلّ
k-l-l → “All”

literal: for us; to us

نسيان
n-s-y → “forget” Distinctive

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

ساکن
s-k-n → “dwellers” Distinctive

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

بغی
b-gh-y → “oppression”

literal: to seek; to desire; to rebel; to transgress

طغيان
ṭ-gh-y → “oppressors” Distinctive

literal: rebellion; transgression; tyranny; insolence

متّبع.
t-b-ʿ → “followers”

literal: to follow; to obey; to pursue

اللّهَ
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

يَفعَلُ
f-ʿ-l → “do”

literal: to do, act, make; deed, action

بِهِم
h-m → “all”

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

کَما
k-m → “loss” Distinctive

literal: as; like; how much; lane; street; quarter; abode

هُم
h-m-m → “endeavor” Distinctive

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

يَعمَلون
ʿ-m-l → “deeds” Distinctive

literal: deed; deeds; work

يَنْساهم
n-s-y → “oblivion” Distinctive

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

لِقائَه
l-q-y → “His Presence”

literal: opposite; facing; in front of; towards

فی
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

اَيّامِهِ
y-w-m → “His day”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

کَذلِکَ
dh-l-k → “Such is”

literal: thus; likewise; also

قُضِيَ
q-ḍ-y → “decree”

literal: requirement; exigency; what demands or calls for

عَلَی
ʿ-l-w → “unto those”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الَّذين
l-dh-y → “that have denied”

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

کَفَرُوا
k-f-r

literal: to disbelieve, reject; unbelief, ingratitude; to deny, to disbelieve, to reject

کانوا
k-w-n

literal: be; was; to be

بِآياتِهِ
ʾ-y-y → “His signs”

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

يَجحَدُونَ.
j-ḥ-d

literal: deny; denied; denier

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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