کتاب ایقاناثر حضرت بهاءالله بخش اوّل بخش دومبسم ربّنا العلیّ الأعلیالباب المذکور فی بیان انّ العباد لن یصلوا الی شاطئ بحر العرفان الّّ بالّنقطاع الصّرف عن کلّ من فی السّموات و الأرض قدّسوا انفسکم یا اهل الأرض لعلّ تصلنّ الی المقام الذّی قدّر الله لکم و تدخلنّ فی سرادق جعله الله فی سمآء البیان مرفوع ا جوهر این باب آنکه سالکین سبیل ایمان و طالبین کؤوس ایقان باید نفوس خود را از جمیع شئونات عرضیّه پاک و مقدّس نمایند یعنی گوش را از استماع اقوال و قلب را از ظنونات متعلقّه بسبحات جلال و روح را از تعلقّ باسباب ظاهره و چشم را از ملاحظ ه کلمات فانیه و متوکّلین علی الله و متوسّلین الیه سالک شوند تا آنکه قابل تجلیّات اشراقات شموس علم و عرفان الهی و محلّ ظهورات فیوضات غیب نامتناهی گردند زیرا اگر عبد بخواهد اقوال و اعمال و افعال عباد را از عالم و جاهل میزان معرفت حقّ و اولیای او قرار دهد هرگز برضوان معرفت ربّ العزّة داخل نشود و بعیون علم و حکمت سلطان احدیّت فائز نگردد و هرگز بسرمنزل بقا نرسد و از جام قرب و رضا مرزوق نگردد
Part OneIN THE NAME OF OUR LORD, THE EXALTED, THE MOST HIGH.No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayán.The essence of these words is this: they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favor, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets.
ناظر بایّام قبل شوید که چه قدر مردم از اعالی و ادانی همیشه منتظر ظهورات احدیّه در هیاکل قدسیّه بوده اند بقسمی که در جمیع اوقات و اوان مترصّد و منتظر و دعاها و تضرّعها مینمودند که شاید نسیم رحمت الهیّه بوزیدن آید و جمال موعود از سرادق غیب بعرص ه ظهور قدم گذارد و چون ابواب عنایت مفتوح میگردید و غمام مکرمت مرتفع و شمس غیب از افق قدرت ظاهر میشد جمیع تکذیب مینمودند و از لقاء او که عین لقآء الله است احتراز میجستند چنانچه تفصیل آن در جمیع کتب سماویّه مذکور و مسطور است
Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, and the promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away from His face—the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book.
حال قدری تأمّل نمائید که سبب اعتراض ناس بعد از طلب و آمال ایشان چه بود و بقسمی هم اعتراض مینمودند که زبان و بیان و تقریر و تحریر همه از ذکر آن عاجز و قاصر است و احدی از مظاهر قدسیّه و مطالع احدیّه ظاهر نشد مگر آنکه باعتراض و انکار و احتجاج ناس مبتلا گشت چنانچه میفرماید یا حسر ة علی العباد ما یأتیهم من رسول الّّ کانوا به یستهزئون و در مقام دیگر میفرماید و همّت کلّ امّة برسولهم لیأخذوه و جادلوا بالباطل لیدحضوا به الحقّ
Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such denial on the part of those who have searched with such earnestness and longing. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe. Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around Him. Thus it hath been revealed: “O the misery of men! No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn.”1 Again He saith: “Each nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him, and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth.”2
و همچنین کلمات منزله که از غمام قدرت صمدانیّه و سماء عزّت ربّانیّه نازل شده زیاده از حدّ احصا و احاط ه عباد است و اولو الأفئدة و صاحبان بصر را سور ه هود کفایت میکند قدری در آن سور ه مبارکه تأمّل فرمائید و بفطرت اصلیّه تدبّر نمائید تا قدری بر بدایع امور انبیا و رد و تکذیب کلمات نفی اطّلاع یابید شاید ناس را از موطن غفلت نفسانیّه بآشیان وحدت و معرفت الهیّه پرواز دهید و از زلّل حکمت لّیزال و اثمار شجر ه علم ذی الجلال بیاشامید و مرزوق گردید اینست نصیب انفس مجرّده از مائد ه منزل ه قدس یّ ه باقیه
In like manner, those words that have streamed forth from the source of power and descended from the heaven of glory are innumerable and beyond the ordinary comprehension of man. To them that are possessed of true understanding and insight the Súrah of Húd surely sufficeth. Ponder a while those holy words in your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive to grasp their meaning. Examine the wondrous behavior of the Prophets, and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation and falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and holiness.
اگر بر ابتلای انبیا و علتّ و سبب اعتراضات عباد بر آن شموس هویّه آگاه شوید بر اکثری از امور اطّلاع یابید و دیگر هر چه اعتراضات مردم را بر مشارق شموس صفات احدیّه بیشتر ملاحظه کنید در دین خود و امر الله محکمتر و راسختر شوید لهذا بعضی از حکایات انبیا مجملا در این الواح ذکر میشود تا معلوم و مبرهن آید که در جمیع اعصار و اقران بر مظاهر قدرت و مطالع عزّت وارد میآوردند آنچه را که قلم از ذکرش خجل و منفعل است شاید این اذکار سبب شود که بعضی از ناس از اعراض و اعتراض علما و جهّال ارض مضطرب نشوند و بلکه بر ایقان و اطمینانشان بیفزاید و از جمل ه انبیا نوح بود که نهصد و پنجاه سال نوحه نمود و عباد را بوادی ایمن روح دعوت فرمود و احدی او را اجابت ننمود و در هر یوم بقدری ایذا و اذیّت بر آن وجود مبارک وارد میآوردند که یقین بر هلاکت او مینمودند و چه مراتب سخریّه و استهزاء و کنایه که بر آن حضرت وارد شد چنانچه میفرماید و کلمّا مرّ علیه ملأ من قومه سخروا منه قال ان تسخروا منّا فانّا نسخر منکم کما تسخرون فسوف تعلمون و بعد از مدّتها چند مرتبه وعد ه انزال نصر باصحاب خود فرمودند بوعد ه معیّن و در هر مرتبه بدا شد و بعضی از آن اصحاب معدوده بعلتّ ظهور بدا اعراض مینمودند چنانچه تفصیل آن در اکثر کتب مشهوره ثبت شده و البتّه بنظر عالی رسیده یا میرسد تا آنکه باقی نماند از برای آن حضرت مگر چهل نفس و یا هفتاد و دو نفس چنانچه در کتب و اخبار مذکور است تا آنکه بالأخره نداء ربّ لّ تذر علی الأرض من الکافرین دیّارا از جان برکشید
Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets of God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position. Moreover, the more closely you observe the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be your faith in the Cause of God. Accordingly, a brief mention will be made in this Tablet of divers accounts relative to the Prophets of God, that they may demonstrate the truth that throughout all ages and centuries the Manifestations of power and glory have been subjected to such heinous cruelties that no pen dare describe them. Perchance this may enable a few to cease to be perturbed by the clamor and protestations of the divines and the foolish of this age, and cause them to strengthen their confidence and certainty. Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! Thus it hath been revealed: “And as often as a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. To them He said: ‘Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.’”3 Long afterward, He several times promised victory to His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled. This caused a few among the small number of His followers to turn away from Him, and to this testify the records of the best-known books. These you must certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly you will. Finally, as stated in books and traditions, there remained with Him only forty or seventy-two of His followers. At last from the depth of His being He cried aloud: “Lord! Leave not upon the land a single dweller from among the unbelievers.”4
حال قدری تأمّل باید که سبب چه بود در این مدّت آن عباد باین قسم اعتراض نمودند و احتراز جستند و از قمیص نفی بخلع اثبات مفتخر و فائز نشدند و دیگر چرا در وعده های الهی بدا شد که سبب ادبار بعضی مقبلین شود بسیار تأمّل باید تا بر اسرار امور غیبی واقف شوید و از طیب معنوی گلستان حقیقی بوئی برید و تصدیق نمائید که امتحانات الهیّه همیشه در مابین عباد او بوده و خواهد بود تا نور از ظلمت و صدق از کذب و حقّ از باطل و هدایت از ضلالت و سعادت از شقاوت و خار از گل ممتاز و معلوم شود چنانچه فرموده الم أ حسب النّاس ان یترکوا ان یقولوا آمنّا و هم لّ یفتنون
And now, consider and reflect a moment upon the waywardness of this people. What could have been the reason for such denial and avoidance on their part? What could have induced them to refuse to put off the garment of denial, and to adorn themselves with the robe of acceptance? Moreover, what could have caused the nonfulfillment of the divine promise which led the seekers to reject that which they had accepted? Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. Even as He hath revealed: “Do men think when they say ‘We believe’ they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?”5
و بعد از نوح جمال هود از مشرق ابداع مشرق شد و قریب هفتصد سنه او ازید باختلاف اقوال مردم را برضوان قرب ذی الجلال دعوت نمود و چه مقدار بلایا که بمثل غیث هاطل بر آن حضرت بارید تا آنکه کثرت دعوت سبب کثرت اعراض شد و شدّت اهتمام علتّ شدّت اغماض گردید و لّ یزید الکافرین کفرهم الّّ خسارا
And after Noah the light of the countenance of Húd shone forth above the horizon of creation. For well-nigh seven hundred years, according to the sayings of men, He exhorted the people to turn their faces and draw nearer unto the Riḍván of the divine presence. What showers of afflictions rained upon Him, until at last His adjurations bore the fruit of increased rebelliousness, and His assiduous endeavors resulted in the willful blindness of His people. “And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers their own perdition.”6
و بعد هیکل صالحی از رضوان غیبی معنوی قدم بیرون نهاد و عباد را بشریع ه قرب باقیه دعوت نمود و صد سنه او ازید امر باوامر الهی و نهی از مناهی میفرمود ثمری نبخشید و اثری ظاهر نیامد و چند مرتبه غیبت اختیار فرمود با آنکه آن جمال ازلی ناس را جز بمدین ه احدیّه دعوت نمینمود چنانچه میفرماید و الی ثمود اخاهم صالحا قال یا قوم اعبدوا الله ما لکم من اله غیره الی آخر القول قالوا یا صالح قد کنت فینا مرجوّا قبل هذا أ تنهانا ان نعبد ما یعبد آبائنا و انّنا لفی شکّ ممّا تدعونا الیه مریب و هیچ فائده نبخشید تا آنکه بصیحه ئی جمیع بنار راجع شدند
And after Him there appeared from the Riḍván of the Eternal, the Invisible, the holy person of Ṣáliḥ, Who again summoned the people to the river of everlasting life. For over a hundred years He admonished them to hold fast unto the commandments of God and eschew that which is forbidden. His admonitions, however, yielded no fruit, and His pleading proved of no avail. Several times He retired and lived in seclusion. All this, although that eternal Beauty was summoning the people to no other than the city of God. Even as it is revealed: “And unto the tribe of Thamúd We sent their brother Ṣáliḥ. ‘O my people,’ said He, ‘Worship God, ye have none other God beside Him.…’ They made reply: ‘O Ṣáliḥ, our hopes were fixed on thee until now; forbiddest thou us to worship that which our fathers worshipped? Truly we misdoubt that whereunto thou callest us as suspicious.’”7 All this proved fruitless, until at last there went up a great cry, and all fell into utter perdition.
و بعد جمال خلیل کشف نقاب نمود و علم هدی مرتفع شد و اهل ارض را بنور تقی دعوت فرموده هر چه مبالغه در نصیحت فرمود جز حسد ثمری نیاورد و غیر غفلت حاصلی نبخشید الّّ الذّینهم انقطعوا بکلهّم الی الله و عرجوا بجناحی الّیقان الی مقام جعله الله عن الّدراک مرفوعا و تفصیل آن حضرت مشهور است که چه مقدار اعدا احاطه نمودند تا آنکه نار حسد و اعراض افروخته شد و بعد از حکایت نار آن سراج الهی را از بلد اخراج نمودند چنانچه در هم ه رسائل و کتب مذکور است
Later, the beauty of the countenance of the Friend of God8 appeared from behind the veil, and another standard of divine guidance was hoisted. He invited the people of the earth to the light of righteousness. The more passionately He exhorted them, the fiercer waxed the envy and waywardness of the people, except those who wholly detached themselves from all save God, and ascended on the wings of certainty to the station which God hath exalted beyond the comprehension of men. It is well known what a host of enemies besieged Him, until at last the fires of envy and rebellion were kindled against Him. And after the episode of the fire came to pass, He, the lamp of God amongst men, was, as recorded in all books and chronicles, expelled from His city.
و بعد زمان او منقضی شد تا نوبت به موسی رسید و آن حضرت بعصای امر و بیضای معرفت از فاران محبّت الهیّه با ثعبان قدرت و شوکت صمدانیّه از سینای نور بعرص ه ظهور ظاهر شد و جمیع من فی الملک را بملکوت بقا و اثمار شجر ه وفا دعوت نمود و شنیده شد که فرعون و ملأ او چه اعتراضها که نمودند و چه مقدار احجار ظنونات از انفس مشرکه بر آن شجر ه طیّبه وارد آمد تا بحدّی که فرعون و ملأ او همّت گماشتند که آن نار سدر ه ربّان یّه را از ماء تکذیب و اعراض افسرده و مخمود نمایند و غافل از اینکه نار حکمت الهیّه از آب عنصری افسرده نشود و سراج قدرت ربّانیّه از بادهای مخالف خاموشی نپذیرد بلکه در این مقام ماء سبب اشتعال شود و باد علتّ حفظ لو انتم بالبصر الحدید تنظرون و فی رضی الله تسلکون و چه بیانی خوش فرمود مؤمن آل فرعون چنانچه حکایت اورا ربّ العزّة برای حبیب خود میفرماید و قال رجل مؤمن من آل فرعون یکتم ایمانه أ تقتلون رجلا انیقول ربّی الله و قد جآءکم بالبیّنات من ربّکم و ان یک کاذبا فعلیه کذبه و ان یک صادقا یصبکم بعضالذّی یعدکم انّ الله لّ یهدی من هو مسرف کذّاب و بالأخره امر بجائی کشید که همین مؤمن را بنهایتعذاب شهید نمودند الّ لعنة الله علی القوم الظّالمین
And when His day was ended, there came the turn of Moses. Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and proceeding from the Párán of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the burning of the flame, and such blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and walk in the way of God’s holy will and pleasure. How well hath a believer of the kindred of Pharaoh, whose story is recounted by the All-Glorious in His Book revealed unto His beloved One, observed: “And a man of the family of Pharaoh who was a believer and concealed his faith said: ‘Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who is a transgressor, a liar.’”9 Finally, so great was their iniquity that this selfsame believer was put to a shameful death. “The curse of God be upon the people of tyranny.”10
حال قدری در این امورات تأمّل فرمائید که چه سبب اینگونه اختلافات بوده که هر ظهور حقّیکه در امکان از افق لّمکان ظاهر میشد اینگونه فساد و اغتشاش و ظلم و انقلاب در اطراف عالمظاهر و هویدا میگشت با اینکه جمیع انبیا در حین ظهور خود مردم را بشارت میدادند به نبیّ بعد و علامتی از برای ظهور بعد ذکر میفرمودند چنانچه در هم ه کتب مسطور است با وجود طلب و انتظار ناس بمظاهر قدسیّه و ذکر علامات در کتب چرا باید اینگونه امور در عالم رو دهد که جمیع انبیا و اصفیا را در هر عهد و عصر اینگونه ظلم و جبر و تعدّی نمایند چنانچه میفرماید أ فکلمّا جآءکم رسول بما لّ تهوی انفسکم استکبرتم ففریقا کذّبتم و فریقا تقتلون میفرماید هر زمان و عهد که آمد بسوی شما رسولی از جانب پروردگار بغیر هوای نفس شما تکبّر نمودید و موقن نشدید و گروهی از آن انبیا را تکذیب نمودید و گروهی را میکشتید
And now, ponder upon these things. What could have caused such contention and conflict? Why is it that the advent of every true Manifestation of God hath been accompanied by such strife and tumult, by such tyranny and upheaval? This notwithstanding the fact that all the Prophets of God, whenever made manifest unto the peoples of the world, have invariably foretold the coming of yet another Prophet after them, and have established such signs as would herald the advent of the future Dispensation. To this the records of all sacred books bear witness. Why then is it that despite the expectation of men in their quest of the Manifestations of Holiness, and in spite of the signs recorded in the sacred books, such acts of violence, of oppression and cruelty, should have been perpetrated in every age and cycle against all the Prophets and chosen Ones of God? Even as He hath revealed: “As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others.”11
آخر تأمّل فرمائید که سبب این افعال چه بود که باین قسم با طلعات جمال ذی الجلال سلوک مینمودند و هر چه که در آن ازمنه سبب اعراض و اغماض آن عباد بود حال هم سبب اغفال این عباد شده و اگر بگوئیم حجج الهیّه کامل و تمام نبود لهذا سبب اعتراض عباد شد این کفریست صراح لأجل آنکه این بغایت از فیض فیّاض دور است و از رحمت منبسطه بعید که نفسی را از میان جمیع عباد برگزیند برای هدایت خلق خود و باو حجّت کافی ه وافیه عطا نفرماید و مع ذلک خلق را از عدم اقبال باو معذّب فرماید بلکه ل میزل جود سلطان وجود بر هم ه ممکنات بظهور مظاهر نفس خود احاطه فرموده و آنی نیست که فیض او منقطع شود و یا آنکه امطار رحمت از غمام عنایت او ممنوع گردد پس نیست این امورات محدثه مگر از انفس محدوده که در وادی کبر و غرور حرکت مینمایند و در صحراهای بعد سیر مینمایند و بظنونات خود و هر چه از علمای خود شنیدهاند همان را تأسّی مینمایند لهذا غیر از اعراض امری ندارند و جز اغماض حاصلی نخواهند و این معلوم است نزد هر ذی بصری که اگر این عباد در ظهور هر یک از مظاهر شمس حقیقت چشم و گوش و قلب را از آنچه دیده و شنیده و ادراک نموده پاک و مقدّس مینمودند البتّه از جمال الهی محروم نمیماندند و از حرم قرب و وصال مطالع قدسیّه ممنوع نمیگشتند و چون در هر زمان حجّت را بمعرفت خود که از علمای خود شنیده بودند میزان مینمودند و بعقول ضعیف ه آنها موافق نمیآمد لهذا از اینگونه امور غیر مرضیّه از ایشان در عالم ظهور بظهور میآمد
Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? What could have prompted such behavior towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious? Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause of the denial and opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of this age. To maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete, that it hath therefore been the cause of the denial of the people, is but open blasphemy. How far from the grace of the All-Bountiful and from His loving providence and tender mercies it is to single out a soul from amongst all men for the guidance of His creatures, and, on one hand, to withhold from Him the full measure of His divine testimony, and, on the other, inflict severe retribution on His people for having turned away from His chosen One! Nay, the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have, at all times, through the Manifestations of His divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers of His loving-kindness ceased to rain upon mankind. Consequently, such behavior can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness of such souls as tread the valley of arrogance and pride, are lost in the wilds of remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow the dictates of the leaders of their faith. Their chief concern is mere opposition; their sole desire is to ignore the truth. Unto every discerning observer it is evident and manifest that had these people in the days of each of the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth sanctified their eyes, their ears, and their hearts from whatever they had seen, heard, and felt, they surely would not have been deprived of beholding the beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations of glory. But having weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found it at variance with their limited understanding, they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts.
و در هم ه اوقات سبب صدّ عباد و منع ایشان از شاطی بحر احدیّه علمای عصر بوده اند که زمام آن مردم در کفّ کفایت ایشان بود و ایشان هم بعضی نظر بحبّ ریاست و بعضی از عدم علم و معرفت ناس را منع مینمودند چنانچه هم ه انبیا باذن و اجاز ه علمای عصر سلسبیل شهادت را نوشیدند و باعلی افق عزّت پرواز نمودند چه ظلمها که از رؤسای عهد و علمای عصر بر سلاطین وجود وجواهر مقصود وارد شد و باین ایّام محدود ه فانیه قانع شدند و از ملک لّیفنی بازماندند چنانچه چشمرا از مشاهد ه انوار جمال محبوب بی نصیب نمودند و گوش را از بدایع نغمات ورقاء مقصود محرومساختند اینست که در جمیع کتب سماویّه ذکر احوال علمای هر عصر شده چنانچه میفرماید یا اهلالکتاب لم تکفرون بآیات الله و انتم تشهدون و همچنین میفرماید یا اهل الکتاب لم تلبسون الحقّ بالباطل و تکتمون الحقّ و انتم تعلمون و در مقام دیگر میفرماید قل یا اهل الکتاب لم تصدّون عن سبیل الله و این معلوم است که اهل کتابی که صدّ نمودند مردم را از صراط مستقیم علمای آن عهد بوده اند چنانچه اسم و رسم جمیع در کتب مذکور است و از اکثر آیات و اخبار مستفاد میشود لو انتم بطرف الله تنظرون
Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory. What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and learning have inflicted upon the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of divine virtue! Content with a transitory dominion, they have deprived themselves of an everlasting sovereignty. Thus, their eyes beheld not the light of the countenance of the Well-Beloved, nor did their ears hearken unto the sweet melodies of the Bird of Desire. For this reason, in all sacred books mention hath been made of the divines of every age. Thus He saith: “O people of the Book! Why disbelieve the signs of God to which ye yourselves have been witnesses?”12 And also He saith: “O people of the Book! Why clothe ye the truth with falsehood? Why wittingly hide the truth?”13 Again, He saith: “Say, O people of the Book! Why repel believers from the way of God?”14 It is evident that by the “people of the Book,” who have repelled their fellowmen from the straight path of God, is meant none other than the divines of that age, whose names and character have been revealed in the sacred books, and alluded to in the verses and traditions recorded therein, were you to observe with the eye of God.
پس قدری بدید ه بصیرت الهیّه در آفاق علم ربّانی و انفس کلمات تامّ ه صمدانیّه تعقّل فرمائید تا جمیع اسرار حکمت روحانیّه بی سبحات جلال از خلف سرادق فضل و افضال ظاهر و هویدا شود و کل یّّ ه اعتراض مردم و احتجاجات ایشان از عدم ادراک و عرفان حاصل شده مثلا بیاناتی که طلعات جمال حقّ در علامات ظهور بعد فرمودند آن بیانات را ادراک ننمودند و بحقیقت آن واصل نشدند لهذا علم فساد برافراختند و رایات فتنه برپا نمودند و این معلومست که تأویل کلمات حمامات ازلیّه را جز هیاکل ازلیّه ادراک ننمایند و نغمات ورقاء معنویّه را جز سامع ه اهل بقا نشنود و هرگز قبطی ظلم از شراب سبطی عدل نصیب ندارد و فرعون کفر از بیضای موسی اطّلاع نیابد چنانچه میفرماید و ما یعلم تأویله الّّ الله و الرّاسخون فی العلم مع ذلک تأویل کتاب را از اهل حجاب مستفسر شدند و علم را از منبع او اخذ ننمودند
With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest unto you. The denials and protestations of these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. Those words uttered by the Revealers of the beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed. Hence they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition. It is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being, and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of the denizens of the everlasting realm. The Copt of tyranny can never partake of the cup touched by the lips of the Sept of justice, and the Pharaoh of unbelief can never hope to recognize the hand of the Moses of truth. Even as He saith: “None knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-grounded in knowledge.”15 And yet, they have sought the interpretation of the Book from those that are wrapt in veils, and have refused to seek enlightenment from the fountainhead of knowledge.
مثلا چون ایّام موسی گذشت و انوار عیسی از فجر روح عالم را احاطه نمود جمیع یهود اعتراض نمودند که آن نفس که در تورات موعود است باید مروّج و مکمّل شرایع تورات باشد و این جوان ناصری که خود را مسیح الله مینامد حکم طلاق و سبت را که از حکمهای اعظم موسی است نسخ نموده و دیگر آنکه علائم ظهور هنوز ظاهر نشده چنانچه یهود هنوز منتظر آن ظهورند که در تورات مذکور است چه قدر از مظاهر قدس احدیّه و مطالع نور ازلیّه که بعد از موسی در ابداع ظاهر شده و هنوز یهود بحجبات نفس یّ ه شیطانیّه و ظنونات افک یّ ه نفسانیّه محتجب بوده و هستند و منتظرند که هیکل مجعول با علامات مذکوره که خود ادراک نموده اند کی ظاهر خواهد شد کذلک اخذهم الله بذنبهم و اخذ عنهم روح الّیمان و عذّبهم بنار کانت فی هاویة الجحیم و این نبود مگر ازعدم عرفان یهود عبارات مسطور ه در تورات را که در علائم ظهور بعد نوشته شده چون بحقیقت آنپی نبردند و بظاهر هم چنین امور واقع نشد لهذا از جمال عیسوی محروم شدند و بلقآء الله فائز نگشتندو کانوا من المنتظرین و لمیزل و لّیزال جمیع امم بهمین جعلیّات افکار نالّیقه تمسّک جسته و ازعیونهای لطیف ه رقیق ه جاریه خود را بی بهره و بی نصیب نمودند
And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamored that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfill the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day—the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire. And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God. And they still await His coming! From time immemorial even unto this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness.
و در کشف این اسرار بعضی از عبارات انبیا ببدایع نغمات حجازی در الواح مسطور ه قبل کهبرای یکی از احباب نوشته شده بود مذکور گشت و حال هم بتغنّیات خوش عراقی نظر بخواهش آنجناب در این اوراق مجدّدا ذکر مینمائیم که شاید تشنگان صحراهای بعد را ببحر قرب دلّلت نماید و گمگشتگان بیابانهای هجر و فراق را بخیام قرب و وصال رساند تا غمام ضلالت مرتفع شود و آفتاب جهانتاب هدایت از افق جان طالع گردد و علی الله اتّکل و به استعین لعلّ یجری من هذا القلم ما یحیی به افئدة النّاس لیقومنّ الکلّ عن مراقد غفلتهم و یسمعنّ اطوار ورقات الفردوس من شجر کان فی الرّوضة الأحدیّة من ایدی القدرة باذن الله مغروسا
In unfolding these mysteries, We have, in Our former Tablets which were addressed to a friend in the melodious language of Ḥijáz, cited a few of the verses revealed unto the Prophets of old. And now, responding to your request, We again shall cite, in these pages, those same verses, uttered this time in the wondrous accents of ‘Iráq, that haply the sore athirst in the wilds of remoteness may attain unto the ocean of the divine presence, and they that languish in the wastes of separation be led unto the home of eternal reunion. Thus the mists of error may be dispelled, and the all-resplendent light of divine guidance dawn forth above the horizon of human hearts. In God We put Our trust, and to Him We cry for help, that haply there may flow from this pen that which shall quicken the souls of men, that they may all arise from their beds of heedlessness and hearken unto the rustling of the leaves of Paradise, from the tree which the hand of divine power hath, by the permission of God, planted in the Riḍván of the All-Glorious.
بر اولی العلم معلوم و واضح بوده که چون نار محبّت عیسوی حجبات حدود یهود را سوخت و حکم آن حضرت فی الجمله جریان بر حسب ظاهر یافت روزی آن جمال غیبی ببعضی از اصحاب روحانی ذکر فراق فرمودند و نار اشتیاق افروختند و فرمودند که من میروم و بعد میآیم و در مقام دیگر فرمودند من میروم و میآید دیگری تا بگوید آنچه من نگفته ام و تمام نماید آنچه را که گفته ام و این دو عبارت فی الحقیقه یکی است لو انتم فی مظاهر التّوحید بعین الله تشهدون
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He, the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: “I go away and come again unto you.” And in another place He said: “I go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfill all that I have said.” Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
و اگر بدید ه بصیرت معنوی مشاهده شود فی الحقیقه در عهد خاتم هم کتاب عیسی و امر او ثابت شد در مقام اسم که خود حضرت فرمود منم عیسی و آثار و اخبار و کتاب عیسی را هم تصدیق فرمود که من عند الله بوده در این مقام نه در خودشان فرقی مشهود و نه در کتابشان غیریّتی ملحوظ زیرا که هر دو قائم بامر الله بودند و هم ناطق بذکر الله و کتاب هر دو هم مشعر بر اوامر الله بود از این جهت است که خود عیسی فرمود من میروم و مراجعت میکنم بمثل شمس که اگر شمس الیوم بگوید من شمس یوم قبلم صادق است و اگر بگوید در حدود یومی که غیر آنم صادقست و همچنین در ایّام ملاحظه نمائید که اگر گفته شود که کل یک شیء اند صحیح و صادقست و اگر گفته شود که بحدود اسمی و رسمی غیر همند آنهم صادقست چنانچه می بینی با اینکه یک شیءاند با وجود این در هر کدام اسمی دیگر و خواصّی دیگر و رسمی دیگر ملحوظ میشود که در غیر آن نمیشود و بهمین بیان و قاعده مقامات تفصیل و فرق و اتّحاد مظاهر قدسی را ادراک فرمائید تا تلویحات کلمات آن مبدع اسماء و صفات را در مقامات جمع و فرق عارف شوی و واقف گردی و جواب مسئل ه خود را در موسوم نمودن آن جمال ازلی در هر مقام خود را به اسمی و رسمی بتمامه بیابی
Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the Qur’án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter of names, Muḥammad, Himself, declared: “I am Jesus.” He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus nor His writings hath differed from that of Muḥammad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His commandments. Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away and come again unto you.” Consider the sun. Were it to say now, “I am the sun of yesterday,” it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations, that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the Creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer to thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles.
و بعد اصحاب و تلامیذ آن حضرت استدعا نمودند که علامت رجعت و ظهور چیست و چهوقت این ظاهر خواهد شد و در چند مقام این سؤال را از آن طلعت بیمثال نمودند و آن حضرت درهر مقام علامتی ذکر فرمودند چنانچه در اناجیل اربعه مسطور است
Afterwards, the companions and disciples of Jesus asked Him concerning those signs that must needs signalize the return of His manifestation. When, they asked, shall these things be? Several times they questioned that peerless Beauty, and, every time He made reply, He set forth a special sign that should herald the advent of the promised Dispensation. To this testify the records of the four Gospels.
این مظلوم یک فقر ه آن را ذکر مینمایم و نعمتهای مکنون ه سدر ه مخزونه را لوجه الله بر عبادالله مبذول میدارم تا هیاکل فانیه از اثمار باقیه محروم نمانند که شاید برشحی از انهار بیزوال حضرتذی الجلال که در دارالسّلام بغداد جاری شده فائز شوند بی آنکه اجر و مزدی طلب نمایم انّما نطعمکملوجه الله لّ نرید منکم جزآ ء و لّ شکورا و این طعامیست که ارواح و افئد ه منیره باو حیات باقیه یابندو این همان مائده ایست که میفرماید ربّنا انزل علینا مائد ة من السّمآء و این مائده هرگز از اهلش مقطوع نشود و نفاد نجوید و در کلّ حین از شجر ه فضل میروید و از سموات رحمت و عدل نازل میشود چنانچه فرموده است مثلا کلم ة طیّب ة کشجرة طیّبة اصلها ثابت و فرعها فی السّمآء تؤتی اکلها کلّ حین
This wronged One will cite but one of these instances, thus conferring upon mankind, for the sake of God, such bounties as are yet concealed within the treasury of the hidden and sacred Tree, that haply mortal men may not remain deprived of their share of the immortal fruit, and attain to a dewdrop of the waters of everlasting life which, from Baghdád, the “Abode of Peace,” are being vouchsafed unto all mankind. We ask for neither meed nor reward. “We nourish your souls for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks.”16 This is the food that conferreth everlasting life upon the pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which it is said: “Lord, send down upon us Thy bread from heaven.”17 This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at all seasons from the heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: “Seest thou not to what God likeneth a good word? To a good tree; its root firmly fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all seasons.”18
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