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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §149

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 149 of 291.

Source (Persian)

جميع اين آيات مدلّه بر لقاء را که حکمی محکم تر از آن در کتب سماوی ملحوظ نگشته انکار نمودهاند و از اين رتبه بلند اعلی و مرتبه ارجمند ابهی خود را محروم ساختهاند. و بعضی ذکر نمودهاند که مقصود از لقاء، تجلّی اللّه است در قيامت. و حال آنکه اگر گويند تجلّی عامّ مقصود است اين در همه اشياء موجود است. چنانچه از قبل ثابت شد که همه اشياء محلّ و مظهر تجلّی آن سلطان حقيقی هستند و آثار اشراقِ شمسِ مجلّی در مرايای موجودات موجود و لائح است. بلکه اگر انسان را بصر معنوی الهی مفتوح شود ملاحظه می نمايد که هيچ شیء بی ظهور تجلّی پادشاه حقيقی موجود نه. چنانچه همه ممکنات و مخلوقات را ملاحظه می نمائيد که حاکی اند از ظهور و بروز آن نور معنوی. و ابواب رضوان الهی را مشاهده می فرمائيد که در همه اشياء مفتوح گشته برای ورود طالبين در مدائن معرفت و حکمت و دخول واصلين در حدائق علم و قدرت. و در هر حديقه ای عروس معانی ملاحظه آيد که در غرف های کلمات در نهايت تزيين و تلطيف جالس اند. و اکثر آيات فرقانی بر اين مطلب روحانی مدلّ و مشعر است. "وَ إنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إلّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمدِهِ." شاهدی است ناطق، "وَ کُلَّ شیءٍ اَحْصَيْنَاهُ کِتَاباً" گواهی است صادق. حال اگر مقصود از لقاء اللّه، لقاء اين تجلّيات باشد پس جميع ناس به لقاء طلعت لايزال آن سلطان بی مثال مشرّف اند ديگر تخصيص به قيامت چرا؟

Shoghi Effendi Translation

This people have repudiated all these verses, that unmistakably testify to the reality of “attainment unto the Divine Presence.” No theme hath been more emphatically asserted in the holy scriptures. Notwithstanding, they have deprived themselves of this lofty and most exalted rank, this supreme and glorious station. Some have contended that by “attainment unto the Divine Presence” is meant the “Revelation” of God in the Day of Resurrection. Should they assert that the “Revelation” of God signifieth a “Universal Revelation,” it is clear and evident that such revelation already existeth in all things. The truth of this We have already established, inasmuch as We have demonstrated that all things are the recipients and revealers of the splendours of that ideal King, and that the signs of the revelation of that Sun, the Source of all splendour, exist and are manifest in the mirrors of beings. Nay, were man to gaze with the eye of divine and spiritual discernment, he will readily recognize that nothing whatsoever can exist without the revelation of the splendour of God, the ideal King. Consider how all created things eloquently testify to the revelation of that inner Light within them. Behold how within all things the portals of the Ridván of God are opened, that seekers may attain the cities of understanding and wisdom, and enter the gardens of knowledge and power. Within every garden they will behold the mystic bride of inner meaning enshrined within the chambers of utterance in the utmost grace and fullest adornment. Most of the verses of the Qur’án indicate, and bear witness to, this spiritual theme. The verse: “Neither is there aught which doth not celebrate His praise” is eloquent testimony thereto; and “We noted all things and wrote them down,” a faithful witness thereof. Now, if by “attainment unto the Presence of God” is meant attainment unto the knowledge of such revelation, it is evident that all men have already attained unto the presence of the unchangeable Countenance of that peerless King. Why, then, restrict such revelation to the Day of Resurrection?

Translation Notes

سماوی
smáwí s-m-w

literal: heaven

SE rendered حکمی (ḥkmí), محکم (mḥkm), تر (tr), از (iz), کتب (ktb), سماوی (smáwí), ملحوظ (mlḥúẓ), نگشته (ngshth), انکار (inkár), نمودهاند (nmúdhánd) as “unmistakably, emphatically, more, of, holy scriptures, Behold, hath been, repudiated, have contended”

heavenly 80% sacred 20%
ارجمند
irjmnd irjmnd → “supreme”

literal: noble

1 occurrence in corpus

گويند
gúynd gftn

literal: say; to say

SE rendered قيامت (qíámt), حال (ḥál), آنکه (ánkh), گويند (gúynd), تجلّی (tjllí), عامّ (ʿámm), مقصود (mqṣúd) as “Day of Resurrection, Should they assert, “Revelation”, “Universal”

maintain 36% make 7% utter 7% voicing 7% should 7% say 7% saying 7% maintained 7% uphold 7% speak 7%
مخلوقات
mkhlúqát kh-l-q

literal: creation; create; created

SE rendered چنانچه (chnánchh), همه (hmh), ممکنات (mmknát), مخلوقات (mkhlúqát), ملاحظه (mláḥẓh), می (mí), نمائيد (nmáʾíd), حاکی (ḥákí) as “Consider, all, created things, may, testify”

creatures 34% creation 17% created 16% hath 8% among 5% men 4% people 4% creator 4% thou 4% all 3%
واصلين
wáṣlín w-ṣ-l

literal: union; reach; reunion

SE rendered مدائن (mdáʾn), معرفت (mʿrft), حکمت (ḥkmt), دخول (dkhúl), واصلين (wáṣlín), حدائق (ḥdáʾq), علم (ʿlm), قدرت (qdrt), هر (hr) as “cities, understanding, wisdom, enter, unto the, knowledge, power, every”

presence 26% attain 23% reunion 20% have 5% reach 5% attainment 5% meeting 5% thou 4% divine 4% whose 4%
آيد
áyd ʾ-y-d

literal: support; come; strengthen

SE rendered هر (hr), حديقه (ḥdíqh), عروس (ʿrús), معانی (mʿání), ملاحظه (mláḥẓh), آيد (áyd), غرف (ghrf), های (háy), کلمات (klmát), نهايت (nháyt) as “every, unto the, bride, inner meaning, behold, chambers, utterance, utmost”

may 33% assist 33% aid 10% all-merciful 5% will 5% “seal.” 5% how 5% step 5%
مثال
mthál m-th-l

literal: like; likeness; example

SE rendered لقاء (lqáʾ), طلعت (ṭlʿt), لايزال (láyzál), سلطان (slṭán), بی (bí), مثال (mthál), مشرّف (mshrrf), اند (ind), ديگر (dígr), تخصيص (tkhṣíṣ), قيامت (qíámt) as “attained, presence, unchangeable, King, peerless, have, then, such, Day of Resurrection”

peerless 50% none 13% unto 13% comparisons 13% matchless 13%
مشرّف
mshrrf sh-r-f

literal: honor; honored

SE rendered طلعت (ṭlʿt), لايزال (láyzál), سلطان (slṭán), بی (bí), مثال (mthál), مشرّف (mshrrf), اند (ind), ديگر (dígr), تخصيص (tkhṣíṣ), قيامت (qíámt), چرا؟ (chrá؟) as “presence, unchangeable, King, peerless, have, then, such, Day of Resurrection, Why”

honoured 25% honored 13% hath 13% manifest 13% endowed 13% honour 13% glory 13%
چرا؟
chrá؟ chrá → “why”

literal: why

4 occurrences in corpus

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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