Kitáb-i-Íqán — §30

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 30 of 291.

Source (Persian)

حال اگر مقصود از اين ضيق را همچو ادراک نمايند که عالم ضيق به هم رساند و يا امورات ديگر که به خيال خود توهّم نمايند هرگز مشهود نگردد و البتّه گويند که اين شرط ظهور نيافته چنانچه گفتهاند و می گويند. باری، مقصود از ضيق، ضيق از معارف الهيّه و ادراک کلمات ربّانيّه است که در ايّام غروب شمس و مرايای او عباد در تنگی و سختی افتند و ندانند به که توجّه نمايند چنانچه مذکور شد. کَذلکَ نُعَلِّمُکَ مِن تَأويلِ الاَحاديثِ وَ نُلقی عَلَيکَ مِن اَسرارِ الحِکمَةِ لِتَطَّلِعَ بِما هُو المَقصودُ وَ تَکُونَ مِنَ الّذينَ هُم شَرِبُوا مِن کَأسِ العلمِ و العِرفان. و قوله: "تُظلَمُ الشَّمسُ وَالقَمَرُ لا يُعطی ضَوءَهُ وَ الکَواکبُ تَتَساقَطُ مِنَ السَّماء."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Were this “oppression” (which literally meaneth pressure) to be interpreted that the earth is to become contracted, or were men’s idle fancy to conceive similar calamities to befall mankind, it is clear and manifest that no such happenings can ever come to pass. They will assuredly protest that this pre-requisite of divine revelation hath not been made manifest. Such hath been and still is their contention. Whereas, by “oppression” is meant the want of capacity to acquire spiritual knowledge and apprehend the Word of God. By it is meant that when the Day-star of Truth hath set, and the mirrors that reflect His light have departed, mankind will become afflicted with “oppression” and hardship, knowing not whither to turn for guidance. Thus We instruct thee in the interpretation of the traditions, and reveal unto thee the mysteries of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest comprehend the meaning thereof, and be of them that have quaffed the cup of divine knowledge and understanding.

Translation Notes

حال

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

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

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

ضيق

ḍ-y-q → ““oppression””

literal: narrow; tight; strait; oppression; distress

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

همچو

h-m-ch-w

literal: like; as; such as

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

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

نمايند

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “earth” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

به

b-h → “is” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

هم

h-m-m → “endeavor” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

رساند

r-s-n → “attain”

literal: to reach; to convey; to cause to arrive; to deliver

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

امورات

ʾ-m-r → “Cause” Distinctive

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

ديگر

d-g-r

literal: home; place; land; abode

خيال

kh-y-l → “desire”

literal: ill-wishing; malice; enmity

خود

kh-w-d

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

توهّم

w-h-m → “vain imaginings” Distinctive

literal: to imagine, suppose; fancy, idle imagination

هرگز

h-r-g → “never”

literal: never; at no time; never ever

مشهود

sh-h-d → “clear and manifest”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نگردد

g-r-d → “become” Distinctive

literal: not to become; to not turn; to remain unchanged

البتّه

b-t-t → “assuredly”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

گويند

g-w-y → “I say” Distinctive

literal: say; to say; as-if

شرط

sh-r-ṭ → “essential conditions”

literal: condition; requirement; clause

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

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

نيافته

y-ʾ-f-t → “found” Distinctive

literal: to find, discover; to obtain, acquire; to find; to obtain; to discover

چنانچه

ch-n-n

literal: thus; in such manner; as

گفتهاند

g-f-t → “said”

literal: utterance; speech; word; discourse

می

m-y-y → “will be made”

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

باری،

b-r-y → “Briefly”

literal: well; cistern; pit

معارف

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

الهيّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

کلمات

k-l-m → “Word”

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

ربّانيّه

r-b-b

literal: divine; of God; lordly

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ايّام

y-w-m

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

غروب

gh-r-b → “set”

literal: west; sunset; place of setting

شمس

sh-m-s → “Day-star” Distinctive

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

مرايای

r-ʾ-y → “mirrors”

literal: to guard, watch over, regard, heed, respect, maintain

او

h-w-w

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

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “mankind” Distinctive

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

تنگی

t-n-g → ““oppression””

literal: I; truly I; verily I

سختی

s-kh-t → “not deprived” Distinctive

literal: hard, difficult, severe; harshness

افتند

ʾ-f-t → “were” Distinctive

literal: sun; fall; fall/become

ندانند

d-ʾ-n → “knowing not”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

توجّه

w-j-h → “to turn”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

مذکور

dh-k-r

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

شد.

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

کَذلکَ

dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

مِن

m-n

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

تَأويلِ

ʾ-w-l → “first” Distinctive

literal: first; firstness; beginning

الاَحاديثِ

ḥ-d-th → “the traditions”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

نُلقی

l-q-y → “Presence” Distinctive

literal: meeting; cast; meeting, encounter

عَلَيکَ

ʿ-l-y → “unto thee” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

اَسرارِ

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

الحِکمَةِ

ḥ-k-m → “divine wisdom”

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

لِتَطَّلِعَ

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

بِما

m-ʾ

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

هُو

h-w

literal: He; He is

تَکُونَ

k-w-n → “be of”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

الّذينَ

l-dh-y

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

شَرِبُوا

sh-r-b → “quaffed”

literal: to drink; to imbibe

کَأسِ

k-ʾ-s → “cup”

literal: cup; chalice; goblet

قوله:

q-w-l

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

"تُظلَمُ

ẓ-l-m

literal: wronged; injustice; darkness

وَالقَمَرُ

q-m-r

literal: moon

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

يُعطی

ʿ-ṭ-y

literal: bounty; gift; bestowal; grace; bountifulness

ضَوءَهُ

ḍ-w-ʾ → “light”

literal: light; illuminated; light/radiance

الکَواکبُ

k-w-b

literal: gallon-measure; stars; chalices

تَتَساقَطُ

s-q-ṭ

literal: fall; fallen; fallen, lapsed

السَّماء."

s-m-w

literal: name; heaven; names

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 ¶