Skip to main content

Kitáb-i-Íqán — §91

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 91 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و اگر از ايشان سؤال شود از شرائط ظهور انبيای بعد که در کتب قبل است، از جمله آنها علامات ظهور و اشراق شمس محمّدی است چنانچه مذکور شد و بر حسب ظاهر هيچ يک ظاهر نشد، مع ذلک به چه دليل و برهان نصاری و امثال آنها را ردّ می نمائيد و حکم بر کفر آنها نموده ايد، چون عاجز از جواب می شوند تمسّک به اين نمايند که اين کتب تحريف شده و من عنداللّه نبوده و نيست و حال آنکه خود عبارات آيه شهادت می دهد بر اينکه من عنداللّه است. و مضمون همين آيه در قرآن هم موجود است، لو انتم تعرفون. براستی می گويم مقصود از تحريف را در اين مدّت ادراک ننمودهاند.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Were they to be questioned concerning those signs that must needs herald the revelation and rise of the sun of the Muhammadan Dispensation, to which We have already referred, none of which have been literally fulfilled, and were it to be said to them: “Wherefore have ye rejected the claims advanced by Christians and the peoples of other faiths and regard them as infidels,” knowing not what answer to give, they will reply: “These Books have been corrupted and are not, and never have been, of God.” Reflect: the words of the verses themselves eloquently testify to the truth that they are of God. A similar verse hath been also revealed in the Qur’án, were ye of them that comprehend. Verily I say, throughout all this period they have utterly failed to comprehend what is meant by corrupting the text.

Translation Notes

ايشان
iyshán ʾ-y-sh “prophets”

literal: they; they, them; they/them

3 occurrences in corpus

شرائط
shráʾṭ sh-r-ṭ

literal: condition; conditions; conditioned

SE rendered از (iz)ايشان (iyshán)سؤال (sʾál)از (iz)شرائط (shráʾṭ)ظهور (ẓhúr)انبيای (inbíáy) as “concerning, them, questioned, revelation”

انبيای
inbíáy n-b-ʾ

literal: prophet; prophets

SE rendered ايشان (iyshán)سؤال (sʾál)از (iz)شرائط (shráʾṭ)ظهور (ẓhúr)انبيای (inbíáy) as “them, questioned, revelation”

prophets 67% meditate 17% bush 17%
جمله
jmlh j-m-l

literal: beauty; totality; beautiful

SE rendered کتب (ktb)از (iz)جمله (jmlh)آنها (ánhá)علامات (ʿlámát)ظهور (ẓhúr)اشراق (ishráq)شمس (shms) as “those, signs, revealed, rise, sun”

among 38% partially 15% others 8% briefly 8% within 8% while 8% one 8% another 8%
مذکور
mdhkúr dh-k-r

literal: mention; mentioned

SE rendered اشراق (ishráq)شمس (shms)محمّدی (mḥmmdí)چنانچه (chnánchh)مذکور (mdhkúr)بر (br)حسب (ḥsb)ظاهر (ẓáhr)هيچ (hích)يک (yk)ظاهر (ẓáhr) as “rise, sun, Muhammadan, have already referred, to, fulfilled, none”

حسب
ḥsb ḥ-s-b

literal: according to; according

SE rendered محمّدی (mḥmmdí)چنانچه (chnánchh)مذکور (mdhkúr)بر (br)حسب (ḥsb)ظاهر (ẓáhr)هيچ (hích)يک (yk)ظاهر (ẓáhr)نشد، (nshd،) as “Muhammadan, have already referred, to, fulfilled, none, have been”

هيچ
hích h-y-ch “any”

literal: any

5 occurrences in corpus

يک
yk y-k

literal: one; with/to-one; one-colored

SE rendered چنانچه (chnánchh)مذکور (mdhkúr)بر (br)حسب (ḥsb)ظاهر (ẓáhr)هيچ (hích)يک (yk)ظاهر (ẓáhr)نشد، (nshd،)چه (chh)دليل (dlíl) as “have already referred, to, fulfilled, none, have been”

one 83% alike 17%
چه
chh ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

SE rendered ظاهر (ẓáhr)هيچ (hích)يک (yk)ظاهر (ẓáhr)نشد، (nshd،)چه (chh)دليل (dlíl)برهان (brhán)نصاری (nṣárí)امثال (imthál)آنها (ánhá) as “fulfilled, none, have been, Christians, similar, them”

what 50% whatsoever 50%
دليل
dlíl d-l-l

literal: proof; evidence

SE rendered هيچ (hích)يک (yk)ظاهر (ẓáhr)نشد، (nshd،)چه (chh)دليل (dlíl)برهان (brhán)نصاری (nṣárí)امثال (imthál)آنها (ánhá) as “none, fulfilled, have been, Christians, similar, them”

برهان
brhán b-r-h

literal: proof; proof, evidence; evidence

SE rendered ظاهر (ẓáhr)نشد، (nshd،)چه (chh)دليل (dlíl)برهان (brhán)نصاری (nṣárí)امثال (imthál)آنها (ánhá)ردّ (rdd) as “fulfilled, have been, Christians, similar, them, rejected”

می
m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

SE rendered نصاری (nṣárí)امثال (imthál)آنها (ánhá)ردّ (rdd)می (mí)نمائيد (nmáʾíd)حکم (ḥkm)بر (br)کفر (kfr)آنها (ánhá)نموده (nmúdh) as “Christians, similar, them, rejected, will, regard, to, infidels, hath”

3 occurrences in corpus

ايد،
iyd، ʾ-y-d

literal: may aid

SE rendered نمائيد (nmáʾíd)حکم (ḥkm)بر (br)کفر (kfr)آنها (ánhá)نموده (nmúdh)ايد، (iyd،)چون (chún)عاجز (ʿájz)از (iz)جواب (júáb) as “will, regard, to, infidels, them, hath, knowing not, answer”

assist 50% may 17% aid 17% “seal.” 17%
عاجز
ʿájz ʿ-j-z

literal: unable; powerlessness

SE rendered بر (br)کفر (kfr)آنها (ánhá)نموده (nmúdh)ايد، (iyd،)چون (chún)عاجز (ʿájz)از (iz)جواب (júáb) as “to, infidels, them, hath, knowing not, answer”

powerless 17% fail 17% impotent 17% unable 17% incapable 8% wearied 8% can 8% mere 8%
شوند
shúnd sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

SE rendered نموده (nmúdh)ايد، (iyd،)چون (chún)عاجز (ʿájz)از (iz)جواب (júáb)می (mí)شوند (shúnd)تمسّک (tmssk)نمايند (nmáynd) as “hath, knowing not, answer”

again 14% would 14% feed 14% unraveling 14% will 14% therein 14% intervening 14%
تمسّک
tmssk m-s-k

literal: hold fast; clinging; cling

SE rendered چون (chún)عاجز (ʿájz)از (iz)جواب (júáb)می (mí)شوند (shúnd)تمسّک (tmssk)نمايند (nmáynd)کتب (ktb) as “knowing not, answer, Books”

cleave 29% clung 23% cleaveth 11% take 9% hold 9% have 6% lay 6% laid 3% will 3% seized 3%
حال
ḥál ḥ-w-l

literal: state; now

SE rendered عنداللّه (ʿndálllh)نبوده (nbúdh)نيست (níst)حال (ḥál)آنکه (ánkh)عبارات (ʿbárát)آيه (áyh)شهادت (shhádt) as “of God.”, never have been, are not, words, verses, testify”

now 57% consider 11% present 8% reflect 5% behold 5% state 4% how 3% today 3% what 3% ponder 3%
آنکه
ánkh ʾ-n

literal: that; indeed; that, to

SE rendered عنداللّه (ʿndálllh)نبوده (nbúdh)نيست (níst)حال (ḥál)آنکه (ánkh)عبارات (ʿbárát)آيه (áyh)شهادت (shhádt)می (mí)دهد (dhd) as “of God.”, never have been, are not, words, verses, testify, give”

have 10% behold 10% will 10% such 10% either 10% \‘verily 10% verily 10% truth 10% \‘they 10% although 10%
مضمون
mḍmún ḍ-m-n

literal: meaning; content/meaning

SE rendered بر (br)اينکه (iynkh)عنداللّه (ʿndálllh)مضمون (mḍmún)همين (hmín)آيه (áyh)قرآن (qrán) as “to, that, of God, verse, Qur’án”

purport 20% meaning 20% gods 20% smoke 20% text 20%
همين
hmín h-m-n

literal: guardian; guardian/protector; guardian, protector

SE rendered عنداللّه (ʿndálllh)مضمون (mḍmún)همين (hmín)آيه (áyh)قرآن (qrán)موجود (mújúd)لو (lú) as “of God, verse, Qur’án, were”

موجود
mújúd w-j-d

literal: existence; existent

SE rendered آيه (áyh)قرآن (qrán)موجود (mújúd)لو (lú)تعرفون (tʿrfún)براستی (brástí) as “verse, Qur’án, were, comprehend, Verily I say”

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

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.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet cover

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings cover

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

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.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

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 cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

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 cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

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 cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

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 cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘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 ¶