Kitáb-i-Íqán — §38

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 38 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و در مقامی هم مقصود از اطلاقات شمس و قمر و نجوم، علوم و احکام مرتفعه در هر شريعت است مثل صلات و صوم که در شريعت فرقان بعد از اخفای جمال محمّدی از جميع احکام محکم تر و اعظم تر است. چنانچه احاديث و اخبار مشعر بر آن است و به علّت شهرت، احتياج ذکر نيست. بلکه در هرعصری حکم صلات محکم و مجری بوده.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In another sense, by the terms ‘sun’, ‘moon’, and ‘stars’ are meant such laws and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting. These have, according to the law of the Qur’án, been regarded, when the beauty of the Prophet Muhammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental and binding laws of His dispensation. To this testify the texts of the traditions and chronicles, which, on account of their being widely known, need not be referred to here. Nay rather, in every Dispensation the law concerning prayer hath been emphasized and universally enforced. To this testify the recorded traditions ascribed to the lights that have emanated from the Day-star of Truth, the essence of the Prophet Muhammad.

Translation Notes

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مقامی

q-w-m → “In another sense” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

هم

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “are meant”

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

از

ʾ-z → “by” Distinctive

literal: from

اطلاقات

ṭ-l-q → “applied” Distinctive

literal: divorce; release; freeing

شمس

sh-m-s → “‘sun’”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

قمر

q-m-r → “‘moon’”

literal: moon

نجوم،

n-j-m → “‘stars’”

literal: star

علوم

ʿ-l-m → “laws and teachings”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

احکام

ḥ-k-m → “laws”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

مرتفعه

r-f-ʿ → “established and proclaimed”

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

شريعت

sh-r-ʿ → “Dispensation” Distinctive

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

است.

b-w-d → “been regarded”

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

مثل

m-th-l → “such as”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

صلات

ṣ-l-w → “prayer”

literal: blessings; prayers; salutations

صوم

ṣ-w-m → “fasting”

literal: fasting; to abstain from food

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

فرقان

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “when” Distinctive

literal: after; behind; distance

اخفای

kh-f-y → “conceal” Distinctive

literal: hiddenness, concealment, obscurity

جمال

j-m-l → “beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

محمّدی

ḥ-m-d → “thanks”

literal: praise; Muhammad; praised

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “These have” Distinctive

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

تر

literal: more (comparative suffix)

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “most”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “To this” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

احاديث

ḥ-d-th → “traditions”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

اخبار

kh-b-r → “All-Informed” Distinctive

literal: news; inform; informed

مشعر

sh-ʿ-r → “consciousness” Distinctive

literal: hair

بر

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آن

literal: that; those; he; she; it

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us

شهرت،

sh-h-r → “widely known”

literal: city; month; fame, renown

احتياج

ḥ-w-j → “need”

literal: need; necessity; requirement

ذکر

dh-k-r → “referred to here” Distinctive

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

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay rather”

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

هرعصری

ʿ-ṣ-r → “age” Distinctive

literal: age; age, era; ages

مجری

j-r-y → “flow” Distinctive

literal: flowing; flow; to flow

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