Will and Testament — §58

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 58 of 59.

Source (Persian)

زیرا اوست ولیّ امر اللّه بعد از عبدالبهآء و جمیع افنان و ایادی و احبّای الهی باید اطاعت او نمایند و توجّه باو کنند من عصی امره فقد عصی اللّه و من اعرض عنه اعرض عن اللّه و من انکره فقد انکر الحقّ این کلمات را مبادا کسی تأویل نماید و مانند بعد از صعود هر ناقض ناکثی بهانه‌ئی کند و علم مخالفت برافرازد و خودرأیی کند و باب اجتهاد باز نماید نفسی را حقّ رأیی و اعتقاد مخصوصی نه باید کل اقتباس از مرکز امر و بیت عدل نمایند و ما عداهما کلّ مخالف فی ضلال مبین

Shoghi Effendi Translation

For he is, after ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, the Guardian of the Cause of God; the Afnán, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the beloved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of Bahá’u’lláh) advance a pretext, raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of false interpretation. To none is given the right to put forth his own opinion or express his particular conviction. All must seek guidance and turn unto the Centre of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error.

Translation Notes

زیرا

z-y-r → “For”

literal: because; since; for; inasmuch as

اوست

h-s-t → “is”

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

ولیّ

w-l-y → “Guardian”

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

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

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

عبدالبهآء

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

جمیع

j-m-ʿ

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

افنان

f-n-n → “Afnán”

literal: twigs; branches

ایادی

y-d-y → “Hands”

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers; to assist, to support, to aid, to strengthen

احبّای

ḥ-b-b → “beloved”

literal: love; affection

باید

b-y-d → “must”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

اطاعت

ṭ-w-ʿ → “obey”

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

او

h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; He; he/him

نمایند

n-m-ʾ → “may”

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

توجّه

w-j-h → “turn”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

باو

ʾ-w-w → “unto him”

literal: sale; to sell; to swear allegiance; to pledge; to make covenant

من

m-n → “from”

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

عصی

ʿ-ṣ-y → “sinner” Distinctive

literal: disobedience; disobey; disobedient

امره

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

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

فقد

q-d-d → “hath”

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

اعرض

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turneth away”

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

عنه

ʿ-n → “from him”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

انکره

n-k-r → “denieth”

literal: denial; rejection; repudiation; wrong; evil; to deny; to reject

الحقّ

ḥ-q-q → “the True One” Distinctive

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

این

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

کلمات

k-l-m → “words”

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

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

مبادا

b-d-w → “lest”

literal: lest; perhaps; in order that not

کسی

k-s → “him”

literal: someone; anyone; a person

تأویل

ʾ-w-l → “first” Distinctive

literal: first; firstness; beginning

مانند

m-ʾ-n → “remain”

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

صعود

ṣ-ʿ-d → “Day of Ascension”

literal: ascent; ascension; rising; elevation

هر

h-r

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

ناقض

n-q-ḍ → “have broken”

literal: breaker; violator; one who breaks (covenant); covenant-breaker

ناکثی

n-k-th

literal: one who breaks covenant; covenant-breaker

بهانه‌ئی

b-h-n → “pretexts”

literal: pretext; excuse; subterfuge

کند

k-r-d → “made” Distinctive

literal: to do; to make; to act; to dig, excavate; slow

علم

ʿ-l-m → “standard” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مخالفت

kh-l-f → “contrary” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

برافرازد

f-r-ʾ-z → “raise”

literal: to kindle, to light, to inflame

خودرأیی

r-ʾ-y → “beholdest” Distinctive

literal: self-governance; arbitrary rule; willfulness

باب

b-w-b → “door”

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

اجتهاد

j-h-d → “Strive” Distinctive

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

باز

b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

نفسی

n-f-s → “To none” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

اعتقاد

ʿ-q-d → “belief”

literal: contract; covenant; knot; to tie; to contract; to conclude

مخصوصی

kh-ṣ-ṣ → “singled out” Distinctive

literal: specific matter; particularity; especially; in this matter

نه

n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

کل

k-l-l → “All”

literal: for us; to us

اقتباس

q-b-s → “seek guidance”

literal: to draw upon; to derive from; quotation; citation

مرکز

r-k-z → “Centre”

literal: center; focal point; axis

بیت

b-y-t → “House”

literal: house; household; family; verse

عدل

ʿ-d-l → “Justice”

literal: justice; equity

ما

m-ʾ

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

عداهما

ʿ-d-w → “enemies” Distinctive

literal: hostility, aggression, enmity, transgression

فی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

ضلال

ḍ-l-l → “error”

literal: error; straying; misguidance; delusion; falsehood

مبین

b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

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

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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50 ¶

Gleanings

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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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16 ¶

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The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

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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.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

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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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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

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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 ¶