Part One 1. To attain the knowledge of God one must put one's trust in Him and disregard the standards of men (3-14). 2. The reasons for failure to recognise and accept the Manifestations of God (14-89). 3. In this age the story of past Dispensations is being repeated (13-83). 4. The people of the Bayán should take warning not to forget the wishes and admonitions of their own Book lest they inflict on the Manifestation of God what was inflicted before (92-93).
Part Two 1. The Manifestations reveal an all-compelling power (97-139). 2. The greatest of blessings is to attain the presence of the Manifestation of God in the Day of the Resurrection (139-147). 3. In each Dispensation there occurs a return of the qualities exhibited in earlier Dispensations (148-161). 4. All the Divine Manifestations are at the same time the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (161-175). 5. The Manifestations of God each have a twofold station: the Station of Unity and the Station of Distinction (152-154, 176-181). 6. The Seeker must turn to the Prophets (182-191). 7. The Seeker and his requirements (192-195). 8. The Seeker will be transformed (196-199). 9. By the "City of Certitude" is meant the Word of God which is the greatest testimony and proof of the Manifestation (199-211). 10. The peoples of every age at the end of their Dispensation, afflicted with the same spiritual disease, believe their Manifestation to be the Final One (135-137, 213-221). 11. Proofs of the Revelation of God in this age (221-257). If we take our lead from the beloved Shoghi Effendi Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By (139) sets forth the major themes of the Kitáb-i-Íqán. The following is a list with suggested page references to the text opposite: [Page references are to the Kitab-i-Iqan Bahai Publishing Trust Wilmette Illinois 1950] Thus the Kitáb-i-Íqán. 1. PROCLAIMS UNEQUIVOCALLY: THE EXISTENCE AND ONENESS OF A PERSONAL GOD (91, 99, 176) Unknowable (52, 90, 98-99, 142) Inaccessible (53, 98-99, 141) the source of all Revelation (99, 100) Eternal (9, 16, 17, 135) Omniscient (98, 170) Omnipresent (55, 67, 97, 125, 126) Almighty (170, 176, 206, 219, 243) 2. ASSERTS: A) THE RELATIVITY OF RELIGIOUS TRUTH (98-99) b) the continuity of Divine Revelation (14, 23) 3. Affirms: a) the unity of the Prophets (20-22, 99, 103-104, 107, 152-154, 161-164, 176-177) b) the universality of their Message (210, 240) c) the identity of their fundamental teachings (21, 38-39, 177) d) the sanctity of their scriptures (197-200, 205-206) e) the twofold character of their stations (21, 150, 152-154, 176-181) 4. Denounces the blindness and perversity (15-16, 36, 81-83, 108) of the divines and doctors of every age (122, 164-166, 182-184, 210, 214, 247) 5. Cites and elucidates: a) the allegorical passages of the New Testament (24-80) b) the abstruse verses of the Qur'án (255) c) and the cryptic Muhammadan traditions which have bred those age-long misunderstandings, doubts, and animosities that have sundered and kept apart the followers of the world's leading religious systems (162, 184-188, 201, 238) 6. Enumerates the essential pre-requisites for the attainment (3, 70, 120, 192-196) by every true seeker of the object of his quest (211) 7. Demonstrates the validity, the sublimity and significance of the Báb's Revelation (229-234) 8. Acclaims the heroism and detachment of His disciples (222, 235-236) 9. Foreshadows and prophecies the world-wide triumph of the Revelation promised to the people of the Bayán (77-78, 93) 10. Upholds the purity and innocence of the Virgin Mary (56-57) 11. Glorifies the Imáms of the Faith of Muhammad (35, 39, 106, 144, 153) 12. Celebrates the martyrdom and lauds the spiritual sovereignty of the Imám Husayn 126-129 13. Unfolds the meaning of such symbolic terms as: a) "Return" 151-161 b) "Resurrection" 116, 118, 144, 170 c) "Seal of the Prophets" 162, 169, 179, 213 d) "Day of Judgement" 116 14. Adumbrates and distinguishes between 100-102, 139-142 the three stages of Divine Revelation 169, 201 15. Expatiates in glorious terms upon the glories and wonders of the "City of God", renewed at fixed intervals, by the dispensation of Providence, for the guidance, the benefit and salvation of all mankind 196-200 __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
