[The following is a translation of the questions submitted to
Bahá'u'lláh by Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad (Khal-i-Akbar, the "Greatest Uncle"), the maternal uncle of the Bab which
led to the revelation of the Kitab-i Iqan, translated by Denis MacEoin. MacEoin writes:
"I've ignored a few lines at the beginning, which the Bab's uncle
scribbled out. I've gone by the typewritten text, since the handwriting is
not always easy to follow, but I have checked several times against it and
found the printed version accurate. The language is not always clear, but
I think this gives the main points." The original text of these questions
was published in facsimile in Faizi's Kitab-i-Khanidan-i-Afnan
Sidriy-i-Rahman (Tehran, 1970-71). More information about this
eposide can be found in Taherzadeh, Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh,
volume 1, p. 158; Balyuzi's Bahá'u'lláh: King of Glory, 164-5; and Christopher Buck's Symbol and Secret, 13-14. -J.W.]
Question One
What was previously believed is that the promised
resurrection will take place in another world. The raising of the dead
(hashr wa nashr), the Bridge (sirat), the accounting of the deeds of all
creatures, and the reward or punishment of those deeds will take place in
that world. However, it is all in this world, and it has taken place. And
the days of the appearance of every manifestation of the truth (or
manifestation of God: mazhar-i haqq) constitute that same day of
resurrection for the period preceding it. In this new revelation, there
has been no punishment for men's deeds. Nay, the rebelliousness and
corruption of the people of tyranny and oppression have increased, even if
the real meaning of reward and punishment is nearness or distance from the
divine court. This subject is the same, regardless of which world it
occurs in. The people of truth in this world, since they exist in God's
good pleasure, are in a state of well-being; but they are outwardly caught
in the grip of the people of oppression, and are troubled by them. The
people of oppression, although they are tormented by being far from the
court of God, are outwardly in a state of comfort, and by reason of their
innate ignorance (ghaflati ki darand), are unaware of that torment. If the
requital for men's deeds (jaza-yi a'mal) and the promised punishment (?
the text reads *thawab-i 'iqab-i maw'ud*, which makes imperfect sense and
could be in error for *thawab wa 'iqab-i maw'ud*, meaning the promised
reward and punishment) is this (i.e. as described above), and there is no
other world than this one, where will the oppressed seek vengeance from
the one who oppressed him, and where will the people of punishment receive
their desserts. This would be nothing but a denial of the promised
resurrection. I have not understood this subject properly, yet it is among
the most important of matters to understand it.
Question Two:
He (Huwa): It has been a matter of belief for all
followers of the Shi'i faith, from the beginning of Islam until now, which
no-one has ever denied, or even doubted, concerning which traditions
(ahadith) and prayers and pilgrimage prayers (ziyarat) have been written
by the Imams (ahl-i 'ismat), namely that the Twelfth Imam was born from
the womb of his glorious mother, and that he was outwardly alive in this
world and shall remain alive in it until he appears. This is something
which cannot be denied. And yet, what we are now concerned with does not
conform to this. I seek elucidation of this claim [presumably, that the
Hidden Imam appeared in a different form] so that I may, God willing,
attain to complete certainty (yaqin-i kamil), nay to the essence of
certitude (bi-maqam-i 'ayn al-yaqin).
Question Three
The appearance of this new cause is not in
conformity or agreement with what has been understood from the reports and
traditions (akhbar wa ahadith) in the past, nor with what all men have
believed. [It] rejects all traditions of the past, for we cannot interpret
away all that the Imams (ahl-i 'ismat) have said, nor will men's hearts
believe in such a thing. [Preceding unclear: inkar-i ahadith-i sabiq ki
namitavan az ahl-i 'ismat salat Allah 'alayhim rasida jam'an ra ta'wil
namudan ham qulub tasdiq namikunad.] The manner and custom of the pure
Imams is to guide and give direction to men. To interpret their words in
such a way as to say they did not intend the outward meaning is baseless,
for it will not prove the cause of men's guidance, rather it will cause
them to be confused. In some cases, a tradition has come down that is not
to be taken literally; but to interpret all the traditions other than by
their outward meaning is in contradiction to the way in which the Imams
guide mankind. I would ask you to favour me with a clear explanation of
this topic, in such a manner that it will create certainty in men's
hearts, and so that no one will be able to open up a path of doubt.
Question Four
According to those traditions which have come down
to us from the pure Imams concerning the time of the appearance of the
Qa'im, "it will be as if an enemy had raised an army in Syria and went to
fight with him at a place whose name they have specified as being between
Syria and Mecca, the land shall be divided in two. An army of eight
hundred thousand shall descend all together upon the land, except for two
men, who shall remain behind. They shall go to the army of the Qa'im and
give him tidings. Then he (the Qa'im) shall rule and shall make Kufa his
capital. The size of his army shall be so great that they will demolish
the mosque of Kufa and shall build a (new) mosque with one thousand
doors." There are many such accounts in the reliable books of tradition.
Yet not one of these things has come to pass. I beseech you to provide a
full explanation of this matter, that it may be a cause of certainty for
my heart, and, God willing, lead me to perfect faith.
