Posted to the Tarjuman Listserve
by Khazeh Fananapazir, November, 2001;
Web edition prepared by Mehdi Wolf,
December 2001, July 2002., and December, 2002.
Posted with permission of the translator.
[Lawh-i-Hadrat-i-‘Abdu’l-Bahá’
fí Ma’ná al-Qurbi wal Bu’d il-Haqíqi]
(Tablet concerning Spiritual
Nearness and Estrangement)[1]
A Provisional Translation
Khazeh Fananapazir
O thou who hast turned thy face to the Divine Kingdom![2] Salmán the Persian[3] was apparently a foreigner, an alien.[4] ‘Abú Lahab,[5] though, was from the Quraysh tribe itself, of the same household and well acquainted.[6] But consider this: the one who was a foreigner and alien,[7] because of his love,[8] became a confidant and a Companion, but the latter, though kith and kin, because of heedlessness,[9] became alienated and estranged. In this manner, it becometh known that the Hand of Divine Power transformeth the far one to be as a near one and the near ones to be removed, far and away. Thou shouldst therefore tread after the footsteps of that man of certitude and in that secluded, exalted abode,[10] become familiar with the Divine Beauty. Upon thee be all greetings and salutations.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’ Abbas.
Notes
[1]The title of this tablet is provisional and was suggested by the translator, at the request of the current editor. Source of the Tablet is Makátib-i-‘Abdu’l-Bahá Jild-i-Panjum, (Tablets and Letters of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá), Vol. 5, p. 105.
[2] Malakut-i-Iláhi (KF’s note)
[3] Salmán al-Farsí A companion of the Prophet, and much beloved by both Him and the Imám ‘Alí. He was born circa 568 A.D., in a small town in Persia called Jiyye. His Persian name was Roziba. Zoroastrianism, at that time, was the common faith, and the young Salmán, with his quick, inquisitive mind, quickly learned the highly complex, sometimes esoteric doctrines and dogmas of the faith. At the age of 16, in the year 584, he became a priest of the fire temples in his city. After three years as a respected religious official, he grew tired of the rituals and the lack of real meaning. During a journey on behalf of his father, he encounted a group of Christians, and he accepted the new faith, to the great outrage of his family. In his nineteenth year, he left Persia for Syria, where he studied, observed, and he assimilated all the religious knowledge that was extant. It was in Syria that he learned of Muhammad, and quickly joined a caravan bound for Yathrib via Damascas. However, the traders sold the robust young man as a slave. Over the next several years he traded hands many times among the Jews, as he was much desired for his wisdom, learning and righteous judgement. During this period, his highest desire was to meet the Arabian Prophet, and discuss with Him the doctrines of the new Faith. Finally, in Yathrib, later named Madinah (Medina), he met the Prophet of Islám, and was inducted to the Cause by Muhammad Himself. On the instructions of the Prophet, the Muslims helped Salmán secure his freedom. After this, Salmán rendered many services for the faith, including his suggestion that a trench be built around Madinah during the battle of Ahzab in 627. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’ makes mention of this in Secret of Divine Civilization. It was during this seige that Muhammad acclaimed Salmán as one of the “People of the House”. Later, ‘Alí ‘Ibn Abú Talib appointed Salmán governor of the district of Madaen in Iráq. After only a few weeks, Salmán died at the age of 88. (MW’s note).
[4] i. e. in relation to the birthplace of the Prophet (KF’s note).
[5] ’Abú-Lahab was the brother of Muhmmad’s father ’Abdu’lláh, the wealthiest son of the patriarch, ’Abdu’l-Muttalib, of the tribe of Háshim, and one of the consistant deniers of the Prophet. It was ’Abú-Lahab who broke up the gathering of the Háshim tribe at Mount Safá in which Muhmmad publically declared His mission. ’Abú-Lahab died a week after the battle of Badr in 623 A.D. See H.M. Balyuzí Muhmmad and the Course of Islám (MW’s note).
[6] i. e. with the Prophet. The Quraysh was the tribe of the Prophet, named after Qusayy, His ancestor (KF’s note, expanded by MW).
[7] bígánih (KF’s note).
[8] mahabbat (KF’s note).
[9] ghaflat (KF’s note).
[10] khalwat-gah-i-Iláhi, originally rendered as “mystery-house of the divine.” The Persian khalwat-gah is translated by Steingass as “a solitary place: one of seclusion or retirement.” (KF’s note, modified by MW).