Kitáb-i-Íqán — §36

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 36 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و اطلاق شمس بر آن علماء به مناسبت علوّ و شهرت و معروفيّت است. مثل علمای مسلّم عصر که مشهور بلاد و مسلّم اند بين عباد. و اگر حاکی از شمس الهی باشند از شموس عاليه محسوبند و إلّا از شموس سجّين چنانچه می فرمايد: "الشّمسُ والقمَرُ بِحُسبَانِ." و معنی شمس و قمر هم که در آيه مذکوره هست البتّه شنيده ايد، احتياج به ذکر نيست. و هر نفسی هم که از عنصر اين شمس و قمر باشد يعنی در اقبال به باطل و اعراض از حقّ، البتّه از حسبان ظاهر و به حسبان راجع خواهد شد

Shoghi Effendi Translation

That the term “sun” hath been applied to the leaders of religion is due to their lofty position, their fame, and renown. Such are the universally recognized divines of every age, who speak with authority, and whose fame is securely established. If they be in the likeness of the Sun of Truth, they will surely be accounted as the most exalted of all luminaries; otherwise, they are to be recognized as the focal centres of hellish fire. Even as He saith: “Verily, the sun and the moon are both condemned to the torment of infernal fire.” You are no doubt familiar with the interpretation of the term “sun” and “moon” mentioned in this verse; no need therefore to refer unto it. And whosoever is of the element of this “sun” and “moon”, that is, followeth the example of these leaders in setting his face towards falsehood and in turning away from the truth he undoubtedly cometh out of infernal gloom and returneth thereunto.

Translation Notes

اطلاق

ṭ-l-q → “been applied”

literal: divorce; release; freeing

شمس

sh-m-s → ““sun””

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

بر

b-r-r → “to”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آن

ʾ-n → “the”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

علماء

ʿ-l-m → “leaders” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

مناسبت

n-s-b → “relationship” Distinctive

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

علوّ

ʿ-l-w → “lofty” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

شهرت

sh-h-r → “fame”

literal: city; month; fame, renown

معروفيّت

ʿ-r-f → “renown”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

است.

b-w-d → “is”

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

مثل

m-th-l → “Such” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

مسلّم

s-l-m → “resignation” Distinctive

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

عصر

ʿ-ṣ-r → “age”

literal: age; era; century; period of time

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

بلاد

b-l-d → “city” Distinctive

literal: city; land; country

بين

b-y-n

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

عباد.

ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

حاکی

ḥ-k-y → “story” Distinctive

literal: telling; indicative; narrator; testifier; narrative; story; account; tale; to relate; one who relates; speaking of

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

محسوبند

ḥ-s-b → “accounted”

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

سجّين

s-j-n → “Prison”

literal: prison, imprisonment; to imprison

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “likewise” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

می

m-y-y → “will be made”

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

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “saith”

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

والقمَرُ

q-m-r → “moon”

literal: moon

معنی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: meaning; sense; significance

هم

h-m-m

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

آيه

ʾ-y-y → “verse”

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

مذکوره

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

هست

h-s-t → “are”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

البتّه

b-t-t → “no doubt”

literal: certainly; certainly, definitely; absolute

شنيده

sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: did not hear; has not heard

ايد،

ʾ-y-d

literal: come; support; may aid

احتياج

ḥ-w-j → “need”

literal: need; necessity; requirement

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

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

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

نفسی

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

عنصر

ʿ-n-ṣ → “nature”

literal: element; essence; nature; lineage

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

يعنی

ʿ-n-y → “meaning” Distinctive

literal: meaning; sense; significance

اقبال

q-b-l → “setting”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

باطل

b-ṭ-l → “falsehood”

literal: falsehood, false; vain, null

اعراض

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away”

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

حقّ،

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

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

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

راجع

r-j-ʿ

literal: return; reference; place of return; resort

خواهد

kh-w-h → “will”

literal: will; to wish; to want

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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