THE
QAYYŪM AL-ASMĀ'
OF THE BĀB
Part LXXVI
(76)
الورقةسورة
Sūrat al-waraqa
(The Surah of the Leaf)
on Qur'ān 12:75
Translation Stephen N. Lambden
1982-2016 = last revised 17-11-2015 + April 2021.
[1]
بسم اللّه الرّحمن الرّحيم
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
[2]
"They said, `[This shall be] its recompense (jazā`) - in whoever's saddlebag (raḥlih) it [the goblet] is found, he shall be it's recompense (jaza`). So do We recompense [requite] (najzi) the evildoers (al-zālimun)'" (Q. 12:75).
حمرا
Ḥ-M-R-A.
[Hamra' = "Crimson"]
"Crimson"
[Abjad 8+40+200+1 = 249].
[4]
قل يااهل الملك
اسمعوا ندائی من هذه الورقة المحمّرة المنبتة من الغصن المصفّرةالموقدة من هذه الشّجرة المباركة الزّيتونة علی الحقّ بالحقّ القوّی فانّ اللّه ربّكم هواللّه الحقّ قد كان بكلّ شیء عليماً ه
انّی انا اللّه لا اله الّا انا
فاعبدنی علی خطّ القائم فی ذلك الباب الطّالع عن مجری البهاء فوق جبل السّناء فانّه الحقّ بالحقّ و لا سبيل الیّ الّا به و انّه العلیّ قد كان فی امّ الكتاب شهيداً ه
Say:
`O people of the earthly dominion (ahl al-mulk).
Hearken ye unto My Call from this Leaf dyed crimson (al-waraqat al-muḥmarrat) sprung out from the Branch dyed yellow (min al-ghuṣn al-muṣfarrat), in very truth enkindled from this Mighty, Blessed Olive Tree (al-shajarat al-mubarākat al-zaytūnat al-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq al-quwwa) (cf. Q. 24:35b). [5] God, thy Lord, is assuredly the Ultimately Real (al-ḥaqq), Who hath ever been Aware of all things. I, verily, I am God! There is none other God except Me. [5] Then serve Me [as One] beyond the [alphabetical] line (al-khaṭṭ) upright about this Gate (al-qā'im fī dhalik al-bāb), rising up [in servitude] from the beauteous watercourse (majrā al-bahā') above the Mount of Radiance (jabal al-sanā'). He, in very truth, is assuredly the Ultimately Real (al-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq); there is no Path unto Me except through Him. He is indeed One Elevated One evident (shahād an) in the Archetypal Book (umm al-kitāb). [6] By virtue of Mine Own Self, I did indeed make a covenant to the effect that the believers in His Covenant are as [the believers] in Mine own Covenant (ahd... ahdī) [regarding the] Remembrance (al-dhikr), `No God is there except I Myself, the True One (anā al-ḥaqq) for I, in truth, was the One intended thereby. [7] Relative to the wayward I decreed that the breaking of the Covenant (naqd al-`ahd) is tantamount to [the breaking of] My covenant (min `ahdī). For such there shall, in very truth, be naught save the hellfire of Gehenna (nār al-jaḥīm) in the abyss of the greatest sarcophagus (qa`r al-tābūt al-akbar). God is indeed One Who encompasses all the worlds.
[6] God is assuredly the True One (huwa al-ḥaqq); no God is there except Him. Naught did God reveal in the secret depth of this Book (fī sirr dhalik al-kitāb) save a single letter (harf an) respecting that Most Great Mystery (al-sirr al-akbar); respecting [that is] this Elevated Gate. He is God Who hath ever been Aware of all things.
[7]
يا اهل الارض
O people of the earth!
Supplicate ye for the greatest recompense of God (thawāb Allāh al-akbar) which cometh from the Gate unto the Gate (ilā al-bāb li-bāb) which is the Ultimate Reality (al-ḥaqq), the Sublime Mystery of God (sirr Allāh al-`Alīyy [Ali]), the One Who hath ever been disclosed in the Archetypal Book (umm al-kitāb). [8] Say: `Praise be unto God Who hath, in very truth, sent down the Book unto Me; an expression of the Truth (bi'l-ḥaqq `alā al-ḥaqq) pristinely sanctified from beyond the people [of superhuman origin] (al-khā li min dān al-nās); No God is there save Him for He is God, the Exalted, the Great
[9]
يا ايّها المؤمنون
O thou believers!
Fear ye God and expound ye not a single letter from this Mighty, Most Transcendent Book which, in very truth, contains the Truth (al-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq) after the nature of the Qur'ān and the Sunna (`alā tibq al-qur'ān wa'l-sunna) which God has placed amongst you. Such indeed is of the Mystery of the Script [Line] concealed (sirr al-saṭr al-mastār) before God, the Sublime, set down, in very truth, in the Mighty Tablet (al-lawḥ al-kabīr).
[10]
يا قرّة العين
O Solace of the Eyes
(Qurrat al-`ayn = the Bāb)!
قل ارجعت الحديث فی سرّ موسی الكليم باذن اللّه العلیّ و هو اللّه كان علی كلّ شیء قديراً ه
Say: The [theophanic] episode (al-hadith) surrounding the mystery of Moses (sirr musa), the Speaker (al-kalim) has, by the leave of God, the Exalted, again come to pass. And He is God Who hath ever been powerful above all things.
[11]
يا اهل الجدال
O people of contention!
Hearken ye unto the Call of God [evident] in the Mystery of the [alphabetical] line (sirr al-musattir) written [expressed] in these Crimson Leaves (al-waraqāt al-hamra') which cascadeth from the [Divine] Throne (qad kharrat min al-`arsh) about the Snow-White Leaf [leaves] (`alā al-waraqa al-baydā') [of the cosmic Tree-Throne] with respect to prostration before the yellow dust (li'l-sujād `alā al-turāb al-safrā') [uttering], `I, verily am God, and He is assuredly the Ultimately Real (al-ḥaqq). No God is there except Him, for He is God, Who hath ever been One Sublime, Mighty
قل انّی انا المنادی فی النّار باذن اللّه ربّ العرش
و العماء انّی انا عبد اللّه فاخلع نعليك عن الحدّين انّك قد كنت بالواد المقدّس فی ذلك الباب مطويّا ه
[12] Say: `I, verily, am the Crier (al-munadi) situated, by the leave of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the Realm of the Theophanic Cloud (rabb al-`arsh wa'l-amā'), in the [Sinaitic] Fire, [saying], `I, verily, am the servant of God, (`abd Allāh). So doff thy sandals, relinquish the two worlds (lit. `limits' al-ḥaddayn). Thou, verily, art in the `Holy Vale' (al-wād al-muqaddas) concealed (maṭwiyy an) in this Bāb.
[13]
يا قرّة العين
O Solace of the Eyes (qurrat al-`ayn)!
God, assuredly hath selected Thee [= the Dhikr = the Bāb] for Mine Own Self. So hearken ye unto that which hath been inspired unto thee on the part of God, the Exalted. God is indeed One Mighty and Wise. [He inspired thee with the words] `I, verily am God Who, no God is there except Me.' [14] Wherefore serve thou Me about the Pivot of [Sinaitic] Fire (`alā quṭb al-nār) at the centre of the upright alphabetical line (markaz khaṭṭ al-istiwā') and, in very truth, rise up in prayer for the sake of My Remembrance (li-dhikrā) [saying], `I, verily, I am God, Who, no God is there except Him. For I assuredly was, in very truth One Ancient [15] And Say: `I, verily an the Most Great Hour (al-sā`at al-kubrā) the realization of which the unbelievers want nothing of being fearful thereof. [16] I, verily am the Greatest Word (al-kalimat al-akbar) for God did assuredly make me, one Powerful according to the exercise of Might and Dominion (al-ḥukm wa'l-mulk). And God recompenses (cf. Q.12:75) all according to that which makes progress [for the sake of] the Sublime Bāb. And God is assuredly One witness of all things.
[17]
يا قرّة العين
O Solace of the Eyes!
The people shall ask thee about Dhī'l [Dhu'l]-Qarnayn ("The One Possessed of Two Horns [Eras]").
Say [in reply]: `Yea! By my Lord! I am the King of the two Originations (malik al-bad'ayn) in the two horns [eras, dominions] (al-qarnayn). [18] I am the elevated Possessor of an Era [Horn] [dhu'l qarn] in the two bodies (al-jismayn).
I am the [Sinaitic] Fire in the two Waters (al-mā'ayn).
I am the [cosmic] Water in the two [Sinaitic] Fires (al-nārayn).
So hearken unto my call from these two [Sinaitic] Mounts (al-tūrayn).'
[19] We verily, established him [Dhu'l-Qarnayn = the Bāb] in the land and We, in very truth, bestowed a letter [of the alphabet] from the name of the Dhikr upon this Arabian Youth (al-ghulam al-`arabī = the Bāb) such that the ways and means to all ends became his.
[20]
Say:
`I verily, when I followed the Path, journeyed until I reached the [place of the] setting of the Sun. I found it setting in the Fount of Salsāl (a paradisiacal well of limpid water). At that place I gazed upon the denizens of the theophanic Cloud (ahl min al-`amā') [who were gathered] about the Fount, I saw them prostrating before God, the Exalted. [21] `They communicated to me a mere letter of the secreted knowledge (al-`ilm al-mustas[a]irr) concealed above the line and I communicated to them something regarding an encrypted veiled mystery (sirr al-muḥajjab ramz an). [22] Then I followed the directive until I reached the dawning-place of the Sun (maṭla` al-shams). I found it [the Sun] rising from the Camphor-Fount (`ayn al-kāfār) upon a company of the denizens of the mystic Cloud (ahl al-`amā'). We not not conceal from them any secret thing save the secret [implications of true meaning of] the verse of the Divine Unity (ayat al-tawḥīd = the shahāda).
[23] They said: `God, verily, is, in very truth, your Master, nothing is like unto Him'. I said to them: `He, God, is the True One, no God is there save Him, One Exalted and Mighty.' [24] I then followed the True One (al-ḥaqq) until the moment when I arrived between the two mountains [barriers, limits, damms..] (cf. Q. 18:92) betwixt the two Seas [Q. 18:60] (bayn al-saddayn bayn al-baḥrayn). [25] Whereupon I encountered in the vicinity of these twin [Mts./Seas] a people (qawm an); they did not expect [to vision] God accompanied by some particular thing or with anything or preceding Him. I assuredly saw them [this people] within these two Seas (al-barayn) written down [inscribed] (maktab an) as among the people of the Fish (ahl al-ḥawt).
[26] They, in very truth (`alā al-ḥaqq), said unto the Most Great Remembrance (li'l-dhikr al-akbar) that the Magog of the proponents [people, denizens] of compulsion (al-mājūj min ahl al-jabr) and the Gog of the proponents [people, denizens] of compensation [reward] (al-yājūj min ahl al-ta`wi). These indeed hath both done violence contrary to the Truth One (`alā ghayr al-ḥaqq) regarding the Cause which is betwixt two causes (al-amr bayn al-amrayn). So may We, in very truth as befits the Truth, pay tribute (`alā bi'l-ḥaqq kharaj an) [ to them] view of what We are sending down [which standeth] between Us and between them (bayanā wa baynahum) as a Criterion [discrimminating neo-Qur'ān] (furqān an) which, is written down (maktāb an) in very truth, as befits the Truth of the Ultimately True One (bi'l-ḥaqq `alā al-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq)? [27] Wherefore did I say to them, `God is my Lord, no God is there except Him. He hath indeed strengthened Me is every affair [command] and naught have I desired except what accords with His permission. He is God Who is assuredly powerful over all things.'
[28]
O ye people of the earth!
Aid thyselves (`-n-y; Q. 18:95) through the power of the [sacred] writ [scriptures] (orig., `[through the power of] the pieces of iron', al-zubar [min] al-adād) (bi-quwwat al-zubur min al-adād) until such time as (atta `idhā) the earth is made pure along with such as are upon it from these unbelievers (al-mushrikān), the denizens of the two Fires (ahl al-nārayn) before the [time of the appearence of the] expected [messianic] Proof (li'l-ḥujjat al-muntazar), the Standing [Upright] letter "A" between the two Causes (al-alif al-qā'im bayn al-amrayn). [29] Then pour out (afrighā) upon thyselves [Q. 18:96] of the Fire of the [hot] Iron (nār al-adāda[t]) the [thing rendered] scorching [hot] by virute of the Greatest Gate (al-[miammāt?] min al-bāb al-akbar) to the end that thou might be powerfully (quwwwat an) engaged in war (`alā ḥarb) for the religion of God (dīn Allāh), the Sublime (al-`alīyy). [30] God did indeed make the Remembrance (al-Dhikr) among you, in very truth, as accords with the Truth (`alā al-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq), a mighty (shadād an) barrier (sadd an).
[31] So when there was decreed an appointed term (ajl) through the [divine] command (min al-amr) [then] by God! the Ultimately Real [True One] (al-ḥaqq), he dieth in the True One (yamawt fi'l-ḥaqq) for he [cometh] from the Ultimately Real [True One] and [returneth] unto the Ultimately Real (huwa min al-ḥaqq `ilā'l-ḥaqq) for such was evident by virtue of the Ultimately Real (`ind al-ḥaqq) in the Archetypal [Mother] Book (fi'l-umm al-kitāb).
[32] ][see v.99] And We, We assuredly this [eschatological] Day shall abandon some among the unbelievers (al-mushrikān) according to the [divine] Command (`alā al-amr) with the result that they be agitated [surge] in hellfire, against hellfire (li-yamawajanna fi'l-nār`alā'l-nār) [Q. 18:99] for such indeed hath God decreed to be matter concealed (mastār an) in the Archetypal [Mother] Book (fi'l-umm al-kitāb). [9] And such as hath veiled the allusions (al-ishāra) from the [the person of] Bāb do not evince the capacity to hearken unto [even] a [single] letter (arf an) of the mystery sent down from the manifest [evident] (mashhād an) [and] novel horizon [line?] (al-sar al-badā`). [34] How is it that the unbelievers (al-mushrikān) imagine that the Remembrance (al-dhikr) showeth no knowledge of their hesitation [sitting still] (? maq`ad), everything by virtue of the [divine] command. He is indeed One well-aware through God (al-shāhid min Allāh) of all the worlds. [35] The Remembrance (al-dhikr) is assuredly the True One by virtue of the Ultimately Real [from God] (al-ḥaqq min `ind Allāh) and Paradise (al-firdaws) is indeed something written down (maktāb an) for the believers among the people in this Gate (al-bā b). [36] And for the unbelievers [polytheists] (al-mushrikin) he assuredly was a determiner [decreer] (maqiyy an) of the [raging] heat of hellfire (arr al-nār) on the [eschatological] Day of Return (yawm al-ma`ād).
[38] [Be conscious of the time] when ["] the [unbelievers] polytheists (mushrikūn) shall ask you,`Who sent you unto us?' for such [an eschatolgical matter] is [something] severe (shadīd an) according to exalted [divine] Command. [39] Say: `God is the cleaver of the heavens and of the earth, through the [eschatological] Proof (min `ind ḥujjat), the expected [messianic] Qā'im. He, verily, is the True One [Ultimately Real] (al-ḥaqq) and I, verily, am [but] one of his servants. [40] I, verily, subject (s-kh-r) the [worldly] dominion (al-mulk) unto His government (li-dawlatihi) so submit [in true Islam; deliver over] (s-l-m IV?) for God is assuredly One Mighty over all things. [41/2] And say unto the people of theophanic Cloud [of unknowing] (ahl al-`amā'), `God created you from clay; He will return you unto it and from it He will bring you forth yet again before this, in very Truth (`alā'l-ḥaqq bi'l-ḥaqq) mighty and Sublime Gate (al-bāb al-manī` = the Bāb).'
♦