A Passage from the Kitáb-i-Badí‘ on Ostensible Contradictions in the Writings

What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a passage from the Kitáb-i-Badí‘ of Bahá’u’lláh, which appears on p. 198 of Bahá’í-Verlag’s printing of that book, published in 2008. 

It is hoped that everyone may, after coming together through God’s all-encompassing Word, occupy themselves with His mention and praise, appearing in this world with the utmost detachment, and becoming so enkindled with the fire of divine love that all others may be set ablaze by its heat and moved to fix their gaze upon the Court of Holiness.

Let whatever is not understood from the verses of God be asked of their Source and Origin. The intent of this statement is to warn, lest the loved ones of God fall into disputes over the meanings of those words. Let them know, moreover, that all the words of God proceed from a single point and refer to it. Beware lest ye perceive any contradictions in them. Though outwardly they may appear to have been revealed in conflict with one another, yet inwardly they refer to and culminate in one Word and a single Point.

In certain instances, it hath been mentioned that none is aware of the meanings of the divine Words but God Himself. There is no doubt that this statement is the truth, inasmuch as each word revealed in every realm of God’s infinite realms hath had, and will continue to have, a particular effect and specific meanings according to the exigencies of that realm. Similarly, each and every one of the letters and words of God hath been and will remain a trove of divine knowledge, whose treasures are inscrutable to all else save God. No one hath been, or shall ever be, able to comprehend them befittingly.

At the same time, it hath elsewhere been said that all are capable of understanding the verses of God, for if those verses did not possess this station, they could not serve as clear proofs.

To outward seeming, these two statements are contradictory, but in the estimation of the discerning and them that are endued with keen sight, it is evident that what is meant by having stated that all are capable of such understanding is that this applieth in proportion to their limited capacity, not in accordance with the full measure of what hath been revealed by God, the Most Powerful, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

A typescript of the original Persian and Arabic text of the passage appears below (all punctuation and vowel marks mine).

اميد چنان است كه كلّ به كلمۀ جامعه مجتمع شده به ذكر و ثنایِ حقّ مشغول شوند و به كمالِ انقطاع در ارض ظاهر گردند و به شأنی به نارِ حبِّ الهی مشتعل شوند كه كلّ به حرارتِ آن مشتعل شده به شطر قدس ناظر گردند.​

و آنچه از آياتِ إلهی ادراك نشود از معدن و مبدءِ آن سؤال نمايند. مقصود از اين كلمه آن كه مباد در معنیِ كلمات مابينِ احبّایِ الهی اختلاف شود. و بدانند كه كلماتِ الهيّه كلّ از نقطۀ واحده ظاهر و به او راجع. إيّاكم أن تشهدوا الإختلاف فيهنّ. اگرچه به ظاهر مختلف نازل شود، در باطن به كلمۀ واحده و نقطۀ واحده راجع و منتهِی. چنانچه در بعضی مقام ذكر شده كه احدی به معنیِ كلماتِ الهی مطّلع نه إلاّ الله. شكّی نيست كه اين قولْ حقّ است، چه كه حرفی از حروفاتِ منزله در هر عالمی از عوالمِ لا يتناهی اثرِ مخصوصی و معانیِ مخصوصه به اقتضایِ آن عالم داشته و خواهد داشت. و همچنين حروفات و كلماتِ الهيّه، هر يك كنزِ علمِ لدنّی بوده و خواهد بود، و ما إطّلع بما كُنِزَ فيهنّ إلاّ الله. احدی قادر بر عرفانِ آن علی ما ينبغی لها نبوده و نخواهد بود.

و هم چنين در مقامی ذكر شده كه كلّْ آياتِ الهی را درك می‌نمايند، چه كه اگر صاحبِ اين مقام نبودند، حجّيتِ آيات مبرهن نمی‌شد. اين دو بيان مختلفند بر حسبِ ظاهر، ولكن نزدِ متبصّرين و صاحبانِ ابصُرِ حديده معلوم است كه مقصود از آن كه فرموده كلّ ادراك می‌نمايند، علی قدرهم و مقدارهم بوده، لا علی قدرِ و مقدارِ ما نزّل مِن لدی الله المقتدر المهيمن القيّوم.​