A Study of the Kitab-i-Iqan
The Book of Certtitude
Farzin Aghdasi
In commemoration of the Holy year 1992-1993
This study guide and material was originally
prepared for a structured course at the Campus Association for Baha’I Studies
at the University of British Columbia. It was subsequently taught at the
University of the Witwatersrand Baha’i Club.
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Introduction to the Kitab-i-Iqan
1) The second most important work of Baha'u'llah.
2) Revealed in about 1862 in Baghdad in answer to questions posed by Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, the Bab's maternal uncle.
3) A lengthy epistle revealed within two days and two nights.
4) Initially known as Risaliy-i-Khal, was later designated by Baha'u'llah as the Kitab-i-Iqan, The Book of Certitude.
5) Circumstances of its revelation.
6) It was the most widely circulated tablet of Baha'u'llah in early days.
7) Daniel "closed up and sealed the books till the time of the end"; Iqan opened the seal. It sheds luster on the Holy Scriptures of the past.
8) It completes the last wahid of the Persian Bayan.
9) Central theme is "the changeless Faith of God".
10) "Foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation ranks the Kitab-i-Iqan...A model of Persian prose, of a style at once original, chaste and vigorous, and remarkably lucid, both cogent in argument and matchless in its irresistible eloquence, this Book, setting forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God, occupies a position unequalled by any work in the entire range of Baha'i literature, except the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book."
11) "...this book of unsurpassed pre-eminence among the writings of the author of the Baha'i revelation."
12) The Kitab-i-Iqan is its own teacher and its own guide as it is its own reward.
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Selected quotations from the Kitab-i-Iqan
1) On His longing for self sacrifice:
Amidst them all, We stand, life in hand, wholly resigned to His will; that perchance, through God's loving kindness and His grace, this revealed and manifest Letter may lay down His life as a sacrifice in the path of the Primal Point, the most exalted Word. By Him at Whose bidding the Spirit hath spoken, but for this yearning of Our soul, We would not, for one moment, have tarried any longer in this city. 'Sufficient Witness is God unto Us.'
2) On the Bab
Though young and tender of age, and though the Cause He revealed was contrary to the desires of all the peoples of earth, both high and low, rich and poor, exalted and abased, king and subject, yet He arose and steadfastly proclaimed it.... By the righteousness of God! Were any one to entertain so great a Revelation in his heart, the thought of such a declaration would alone confound him!
3) On the Manifestations of God
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source of infinite grace... hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable essence.
4) On the Sovereignty of the Manifestations of God
Verily He who is the Day Star of Truth and Revealer of the Supreme Being holdeth, for all time, undisputed sovereignty over all that is in heaven and on earth, though no man be found to obey Him. He verily is independent of all earthly dominion, though He be utterly destitute.
5) On the conditions for the seeker
That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship of those that have renounced the world, regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he should commune with God, and with all his soul persevere in the quest of his Beloved.
6) On Mullah Husayn
Mullah-Husayn; "But for him God would not have been established upon the seat of His mercy nor ascended the throne of eternal glory."
7) On Mirza Yahya
In these days, however, such odours of jealousy are diffused, that -- I swear by the Educator of all beings, visible and invisible -- from the beginning of the foundation of the world -- though it hath no beginning -- until the present day, such malice, envy, and hate have in no wise appeared, nor will day ever be witnessed in the future.
8) On the divines of the age
They see the sun with their own eyes, and yet question that brilliant Orb as to the proof of its light.
...owing to lack of knowledge, they make such replies as can in no wise damage their fame and fortune.
Were the eye to be anointed and illumined with the collyrium of the knowledge of God, it would surely discover that a number of voracious beasts have gathered and preyed upon the carrion of the souls of men.
9) On His own sufferings
All this generation could offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips was the cup of its venom. On Our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty.
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Major Themes
of The Kitab-i-Iqan
1) Conditions for the true seeker
2) Reasons for denial of Muhammad by the Christians
3) Meaning of Biblical terms used in prophecy of the next Manifestation of God.
4) Spiritual meanings of life and death
5) Tests of God for mankind
6) Transcendent nature of God
7) Twin nature of Manifestations of God
8) Meaning of the term Seal of the Prophets
9) Meaning of attaining the Presence of God
10) Significance of Return and Resurrection
11) Integrity of the text of the Gospels
12) Statements and warnings regarding the impending Revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest
13) The divines of the age; their abject state, ignorance and desire for leadership; their utter corruption and manifest injustice
14) Meanings of heaven, earth, clouds etc.
15) Meaning of the sovereignty of Q'aim
16) The verses of God and not any miracles as the proof
16) Proofs that Q'aim will bring a new Revelation and a new law
17) Rational proofs of the mission of the Bab
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Summary of Iqan, Part I
3) Detachment is a prerequisite for the seeker.
4) Reasons for denial of Manifestation by those who had expected him is the same in every age.
7) Account of Noah.
8) Non fulfillment of divine promises are tests.
9) Accounts of Hud, Salih, Abraham & Moses.
13) Every prophet has foretold the signs of coming of the next one.
14) It is blasphemous to say the testimony is incomplete.
14) Reason for opposition is petty mindedness, pride and arrogance of people who follow their leaders.
15) Leaders have hindered the people for lust of leadership or want of understanding.
18) Account of Jesus.
19) Jews did not understand the meanings of the signs.
20) Jesus said "I go away and come again", & "I go and another will come"; same meaning.
21) Muhammad said "I am Jesus".
22) Bread from heaven is understanding of holy texts.
24) It is our choice to accept or reject, but pity if we deprive ourselves.
25) Jesus gave signs of His coming; Math 24:29-31.
26) Christian divines clung to literal interpretation of words of Jesus.
27) Another barrier: "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away".
29) Oppression is appearance of foolish leaders without conscience or reason.
30) Clergy naturally tend to idle fancy which is the door to earthly riches, leadership and pride instead of the Revealer who calls for self sacrifice.
32) Oppression is not knowing where to turn for guidance.
33) Sun is the Manifestation, source of life.
35) Man can not comprehend Prophets.
36) Sun, moon, stars are Prophets, saints, companions; Luminaries whose knowledge sheds light in the world; also divines of a former dispensation.
38) Sun, moon, stars are laws & teachings e.g. prayer & fasting.
43) Qu'ran refers to Easts and Wests.
44) Cleaving of the heaven is annulling of the former dispensation; more difficult than the physical one.
46) Changing of the earth is of heart; true knowledge blossoming.
47) Also physical changing.
48) What use is physical folding of the earth; earth of understanding; heaven of revelation.
49) Purpose of symbolic terms is to test man.
50) Change of Qiblih was a test.
51) All places are equal except as appointed by the Manifestation.
52) Those who fail the tests by the touchstone of God are "affrighted asses fleeing from a lion".
53) God is independent of the comprehension of man; but has decreed that the true should be separated from the false.
55) Ponder the commotion which God stirreth up! Moses was a murderer & Jesus was apparently fatherless.
57) The ways of Manifestations are contrary to the ways of men.
60) "The universe is pregnant with these manifold bounties...In the soil of whose heart will these holy seeds germinate?"
62) Star in heaven : visible and invisible
Abraham: Nimrod's dream; herald;
Moses: Pharaoh's dream; herald;
Jesus: Magi; John the Baptist;
Muhammad: signs; 4 men & Salman;
The Bab: Astronomers; Ahmad & Kazim;
66) "Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven" i.e. from the heaven of the will of God, in the form of the human temple.
69) Two kinds of knowledge: Satanic & Divine; clean the heart that it may discover.
71) Words are powerless to convey.
71) Clouds mean repeal of rituals and customs; exalting of illiterate faithful; Manifestation in the image of mortal man.
76) Smoke means dissensions.
77) When the enemies meet the self sacrificing Babis they profess faith out of fear.
78) Little perception is required.
79) Angels mean holy ones
82) Three conditions of understanding the text: a) favorite of heaven; b) inspired Prophet; c) tested souls
84) "Corrupting the texts" refers to specific cases e.g. story of Ibn-i-Suriya.
86) Believers do not and cannot mutilate the widespread book.
87) "Perverting the text" refers to Jewish divines writing treatise refuting Muhammad.
89) Text of gospel is preserved.
91) Manifestation is known through himself, others by his light; only proof is the book.
92) Advice for people of Bayan not to cling to certain passages of their book.
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Summary of Iqan, part 2
97) Daystars of Truth are sovereign over all things.
98) No direct connection between God and His creatures.
99) Since God is unknowable He raised the Manifestations from the realm of spirit, in the form of human temple.
100) Muhammad: I am He and He is I.
101) All the attributes of God are potentially in man.
102) He hath known God who hath known himself.
102) Revelation of attributes of God is all pervasive.
103) But for Thee I would not have created the heavens.
104) Manifestations differ only in intensity of their revelation.
107) Spiritual meaning of Sovereignty, wealth, life, death, judgment and resurrection.
108) Sufferings of Muhammad in early days; same as of Baha'u'llah.
109) His case had no remedy: "Seek out an opening into the earth or a ladder into heaven".
110) The sovereignty of Muhammad is evident today.
112) The Word of God breaks up every relation and binds the believers.
113) Meaning of the Wolf and the Lamb feeding together.
114) Meaning of life and death.
114) Circumstances of the Qu'ranic verse about physical resurrection.
115) "And there was a blast on the trumpet" in the past tense.
118) Meaning of born again and born of the Spirit.
119) Meaning of "Let the dead bury their dead"; "...dead man bought...".
121) Meaning of "...the dead, whom we have quickened..." in reference to Hamzih.
122) Manifestations of the Prince of Darkness.
123) Spiritual sovereignty is superior to the physical one.
124) Meanings are inexhaustible.
125) Outward sovereignty is not true even of God.
126) "Our Host shall conquer"; but Husayn was crushed and subjugated.
127) Meanings of ascendancy, power and authority.
128) Effect of the blood of Husayn.
129) Spiritual ascendancy is of profit to Husayn even after his martyrdom.
130) Richness of Christ in the midst of His poverty.
131) Rich in love of God.
132) Rich means independence of all else but God.
133) Christ declared His power at His trial.
134) Christ has power to forgive sins.
135) Muslims today say what Jews said to Muhammad: ours is the last prophet, God's hands are chained up.
136) "The hand of God is above their hands".
137) No mind can contemplate the cessation of revelation.
138) Their punishment is their deprivation.
138) Highest grace is attaining unto the Presence of God.
139) Attaining the Presence of God is the most emphatically asserted theme in the Qu'ran.
139) Universal vs. specific revelation.
140) Universal revelation and knowledge of God are not specific to the Day of Resurrection.
141) Specific revelation is of two types: in the essence, in the world of creation.
143) Presence of God through revelation in the Manifestation is only possible in the Day of Resurrection.
144) Meaning of Resurrection.
145) Knowledge is in recognition of the Manifestation.
146) "The abased amongst you, He shall exalt, and they that are exalted He shall abase".
146) The meaning of the poor shall inherit the earth.
148) Meaning of the return of the enemies of the Faith.
149) Adam was a prophet.
150) Muhammad is the return of Moses and Jesus, meaning of the Qu'ranic verse.
152) Twofold station of Manifestations.
153) Unity of Manifestations.
154) Meaning of rebirth.
155) Faith brings detachment.
156) Transformation of believers.
157) From copper to gold.
158) Return of followers.
159) Analogy of rose.
161) Analogy of sun.
162) "Seal of the Prophets" is a sore test.
164) Veils of glory are the divines.
166) Veils of glory are terms such as Seal of the Prophets.
166) Imam `Ali: "A thousand Fatimihs I have espoused".
167) Manifestations have no beginning and no end.
167) Imam Husayn explains "end" and "return".
169) Attainment unto the Divine Presence is the most explicit term in the Qu'ran.
170) God doeth whatsoever He willeth. How can man be so bold as to question Him?
173) God reckoned the people by their countenance.
174) Qu'ran: "And God calleth to the Abode of Peace"; Baghdad.
176) Each Manifestation has a specific mission.
178) Manifestations can declare I am God or I am the Messenger of God.
180) Self-effacement of the Manifestations.
182) Man should not interpret the Holy Words according to his own understanding.
183) Muhammad's answer about the spirit aroused clamour.
184) Knowledge is a point and a light; the meaning of knowledge.
185) Book by Haji Mirza Karim Khan.
186) "But for Thee I would not have created the spheres".
187) The mystery of Miraj and how to understand it.
188) Idle pursuits are forbidden; veil of knowledge and glory.
189) Baha'u'llah's challenge about alchemy.
190) Qu'ran refers to Karim by name!
191) Samiri of this dispensation.
192) Conditions for a true seeker: free from hate or love, humble, patient, silent, no backbiting, content, avoid boastful and evil doers, pray, charity, kind to animals and people, sacrificial, wish for others as himself, never despise others.
194) None knows his end.
196) Intensity of search will lead one to God.
199) Once in about a thousand years.
200) In every dispensation the book is the standard.
201) Muhammad's twin weighty testimonies : the book of God and my family
202) The disconnected letters of Quran ; outwardly they signify Muhammad.
203) Traditions are not reliable.
205) The mightiest proof of Muhammad was the text of Quran.
207) People asked of miracles, Muhammad offered only the verses of God as proof.
209) The proof of the sun is the light thereof.
210) The book is a proof unto all people; even "common" people.
211) "common" people are infinitely superior above their religious leaders who have turned away from God.
211) Understanding of words of God is not dependent upon human learning.
212) Enemies charge that: "He has compiled these words from the words of old".
213) People in every age have said that there should be no new independent prophets.
214) Denials instigated by the divines.
215) Muhammad was accused as a calumniator and a lunatic by the divines.
216) Each manifestation had one book, but the revelation of the Bab is unnumbered; many lost.
218) Sufferings of the faithful in early days of Islam; similar to today; accused of misbelief.
220) Proof of the Bab: "bring forth a myriad verses, discourses, epistles, and prayers, non of which have been acquired through learning"
220) Certain prophets are "endowed with constancy" because they revealed a book.
221) Quran : "All have a quarter of the heaven to which they turn"
222) Proof of the Bab: transformed many people ; nearly 400 self sacrificing and learned followers
223) Mullah-Husayn; "But for him God would not have been established upon the seat of His mercy nor ascended the throne of eternal glory."
224) Proof of the Bab: self sacrifice of followers.
225) Sufferings of Imam Husayn lasted half a day; that of Bab's followers many years.
225) Divines pursue wealth in day and carnal desires at night.
227) Proof from the Qur'an: "Wish for death if ye are men of truth."
228) The divines who were leaders did not accept the faith of the Bab.
229) The Bab wrote to the divines of every city.
229) The Bab specified that the followers of Bayan should not object if non of the divines accept the manifestation of Mustaghath
230) Proof: Constancy of the Bab; His courage
231) The Bab longed for martyrdom.
232) Divines: ...carcasses from whose bellies ascendeth the cry of the swallowed substance of the faithful.
234) Proof: the Bab's ascendancy , transcendent power and supremacy as shown in steadfastness and knowledge of His followers.
236) Proof: opposition to Babis; prophesied.
239) People expect the promised one to promote the laws of their own religion.
240) A new law and a new revelation prophesied in traditions.
243) Knowledge is 27 letters; Q'aim brings 25.
245) Character of Q'aim, His sufferings and that of His followers prophesied in Ka'fi.
246) If Qa'im not author of a new law then why the opposition.
246) Martyrdoms in Persia prophesied.
248) Foresee future oppositions.
249) Reference to envy and malice of Mirza Yahya.
250) Harm of false friends worse than that of enemies.
251) Reasons for retirement to Sulaymaniyyih.
252) Wish for martyrdom in the path of the Bab.
253) The year 60.
254) Sufferings and new laws of the Bab prophesied.
255) Twofold language of the word of God: plain and concealed.
256) God will forget those who forget Him.