Kitáb-i-Íqán — §75

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 75 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و لفظ سماء در بيانات شموس معانی بر مراتب کثيره اطلاق می شود. مثلاً سماء امر و سماء مشيّت و سماء اراده و سماء عرفان و سماء ايقان و سماء تبيان و سماء ظهور و سماء بطون و امثال آن. و در هر مقام از لفظ سماء معنيی اراده می فرمايد که غير از واقفين اسرار احديّه و شاربين کؤوس ازليّه احدی ادراک ننمايد. مثلاً می فرمايد: "وَ فِی السَّماءِ رِزقُکُم وَ مَا تُوعَدُونَ" و حال آنکه رزق از ارض انبات می نمايد و همچنين: "الاَسماءُ تُنزَلُ مِنَ السَّماء، " با اينکه از لسان عباد اسماء ظاهر می شود. اگر قدری مرآت قلب را از غبار غرض پاک و لطيف فرمائی جميع تلويحات کلمات کلمه جامعه ربوبيّه را در هر ظهوری ادراک می نمائی و بر اسرار علم واقف می شوی. و لکن تا حجبات علميّه را که مصطلح بين عباد است به نار انقطاع نسوزانی به صبح نورانی علم حقيقی فائز نگردی.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In the utterances of the divine Luminaries the term “heaven” hath been applied to many and divers things; such as the “heaven of Command,” the “heaven of Will,” the “heaven of the divine Purpose,” the “heaven of divine Knowledge,” the “heaven of Certitude,” the “heaven of Utterance,” the “heaven of Revelation,” the “heaven of Concealment,” and the like. In every instance, He hath given the term “heaven” a special meaning, the significance of which is revealed to none save those that have been initiated into the divine mysteries, and have drunk from the chalice of immortal life. For example, He saith: “The heaven hath sustenance for you, and it containeth that which you are promised;” whereas it is the earth that yieldeth such sustenance. Likewise, it hath been said: “The names come down from heaven;” whereas they proceed out of the mouth of men. Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word of God made manifest in every Dispensation, and wouldst discover the mysteries of divine knowledge. Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment those veils of idle learning, that are current amongst men, canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge.

Translation Notes

لفظ

l-f-ẓ → “term”

literal: word; utterance; expression

سماء

s-m-w → ““heaven””

literal: heaven; sky

در

d-r-r → “In”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

بيانات

b-y-n → “utterances”

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

شموس

sh-m-s → “Luminaries”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

معانی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مراتب

r-t-b

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

کثيره

k-th-r → “many”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

اطلاق

ṭ-l-q → “applied”

literal: divorce; release; freeing

می

m-y-y → “will be made”

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

شود.

sh-w-d → “been”

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

مثلاً

m-th-l → “such as”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Command,”” Distinctive

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

مشيّت

sh-y-ʾ → “Will,””

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

اراده

r-w-d → “Purpose,”” Distinctive

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

عرفان

ʿ-r-f → “Knowledge,””

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

ايقان

y-q-n → “Certitude,””

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation,””

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

بطون

b-ṭ-n → “Concealment,””

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

مقام

q-w-m → “instance” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

فرمايد

f-r-m → “hath” Distinctive

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

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

غير

gh-y-r → “none”

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

واقفين

w-q-f → “hesitated” Distinctive

literal: to stop; to halt; to pause; to hesitate

اسرار

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

احديّه

ʾ-ḥ-d → “divine” Distinctive

literal: oneness; uniqueness; absolute unity; singularity of God

شاربين

sh-r-b → “drunk” Distinctive

literal: drink; drank; to drink

کؤوس

k-ʾ-s → “chalice”

literal: cup; cup/goblet; cup, chalice

ازليّه

ʾ-z-l → “eternal”

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

ادراک

d-r-k → “apprehend”

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

ننمايد.

n-m-ʾ → “hath” Distinctive

literal: to appear; to show; to display; to exhibit

"وَ

w-w-w → “: “The” Distinctive

literal: and; quotation mark

فِی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

رِزقُکُم

r-z-q → “sustenance”

literal: sustenance; provision; to grant livelihood

مَا

m-ʾ

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

تُوعَدُونَ"

w-ʿ-d → “promised”

literal: promised; promise; to promise

حال

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

آنکه

ʾ-n → “to” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

انبات

n-b-t

literal: to grow, to spring forth, to produce; plant, growth

همچنين:

ch-n-n → “Likewise”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

"الاَسماءُ

s-m-y → “names”

literal: name; names; named

تُنزَلُ

n-z-l → “come down” Distinctive

literal: to descend, to be revealed

مِنَ

m-n → “from”

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

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

اينکه

ʾ-y-n

literal: that, the fact that, this (demonstrative particle)

لسان

l-s-n → “mouth” Distinctive

literal: tongue; language

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

قدری

q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

مرآت

r-ʾ-y → “mirror”

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

قلب

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

غبار

gh-b-r → “dust”

literal: dust; particles

غرض

gh-r-ḍ → “malice”

literal: purpose, aim, malice, spite

پاک

p-ʾ-k → “cleanse”

literal: pure; clean; sanctified; holy

لطيف

l-ṭ-f

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all-embracing”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

تلويحات

l-w-ḥ → “Tablet” Distinctive

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

کلمات

k-l-m

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

کلمه

k-l-m → “Word”

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

ربوبيّه

r-b-b → “divine” Distinctive

literal: divine; of God; lordly

علم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شوی.

sh-d-n

literal: be; become

لکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

حجبات

ḥ-j-b → “veils”

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

مصطلح

ṣ-l-ḥ → “betterment” Distinctive

literal: peace; reconciliation

است

b-w-d → “are”

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

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

نار

n-ʾ-r → “flame”

literal: light; illumination

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detachment”

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

نسوزانی

s-w-z → “Cast” Distinctive

literal: burn; to burn; burning

صبح

ṣ-b-ḥ → “morn”

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

نورانی

n-w-r → “resplendent”

literal: light; illumination

حقيقی

ḥ-q-q → “true”

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

فائز

f-w-z

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

نگردی.

g-r-d → “become” Distinctive

literal: to become; to happen; to come to pass

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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.

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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.

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Prayers and Meditations

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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.

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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

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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

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57 ¶

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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 ¶

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‘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 ¶