The Kitāb al-rūḥ
(The
Book of the Spirit)
of the Bab.
BEING
COMPLETED AND CORRECTED
Though thought by Nabil-i Zarandi to be lost (DB:137) the early Kitāb al-rūḥ (`Book of the
Spirit) of the Bāb is referred to by its author as
"the greatest of books" (a`ẓam al-kutub ; Mazandāranī KZH 3:44).
The Bab wanted it delivered it to all the `ulamā (divines) of
his day. A few mss. incomplete
mss. of this Arabic neo-qur'anic work exist. (cf. MacEoin, Sources, ADD
). The complete Kitāb al-rūḥ apparently exists in 709 sūras or 7,000 verses and is also
known as the Kitāb al-`adl (The Book of Justice)... ADD
In a paper about the isolated letters of the Q.
delivered at a Mesa conference in 2000 I summed up certain of these letters and
translated a few portions of this work.
A
few Notes on the isolated letters in select early writings of the Bab, the
Kitāb al-Rūḥ and the
K.
al-Fihrist: An
extract from MESA 2000 paper on the hurufat al-muqatta`ah in the writings of
the Bab.
Apparently written in the course of his return from pilgrimage in
Rajab, 1261/July 1845 the Bāb's
Kitab al-ruh (Book of the Spirit), like his Qayyūm a/-asmā'
is
distinctly neo-qur'anic in having suras and isolated letters. Only partially extant
Kitab al-ruh is also divided up
into surahs, no less than 700 of them and commences with the standard Islamic
basmalah and four (qur'anic) isolated letters:
In the name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
Alif-Lam-Mīm-Ra' (A-L-M-R) .
This Kitab (book, communication) is a Remembrace (Dhikr) from God expressive
of a directive from a wondrous servant ('abd badī' = the Bab)...
Another
early work of the Bab, the Arabic Kitab al-fihrist ('The Book of the
Index', 21 st. June 1845) commences in a similar fashion:
This
work again commences with the basmalah, then the same four isolated
letters:
In the name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
Alif-Lam-Mīm-Ra' (A-L-M-R).
This is a Book from
God containing the directive of a wondrous servant [the Bab]. It, assuredly,
is a Book which was sent down on the part of the Baqīyyat-Allah (Remnant of God...
That we here in both instances have the isolated letters
A-L-M-R (abjad
271)might suggest the messianic fulfillment for these specific letters, the seventh set in the Qur'an,
Surah 13 (Thunder) are en qur'anic isolated letters which collectively allude
to the date of the advent of the Qa'im, namely A-L-M (Q.2) till
A-L-M-R (Q. 13) = 1,267 = 1260 AH = 1844 CE. This because a well-known
hadīth relayed by Abī Lubayd
Makhzumi
reckons that the date of the parousia of the messianic Qa'im is indicated through the
abjad-numerical value of the seven sets of qur'anic isolated letters from Q. 2
(A-L-M) up till Q. 13 (
A-L-M-R). It may well be that by using A-L-M-R the Bab means to draw attention
to the messianic prediction realized with A-L-M-R (see further below).
The
Kitab al-Ruh ('The Book of the Spirit', mid. 1845)
While not all of the surahs of the abovementioned
Kitab al-ruh (Book of
the Spirit) are prefixed with isolated letters, surah three (two?) commences as
follows:
In the
name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
Ṭā-Hā'.
(From) the Remembrance of thy
Lord unto the Primal Leaf
(l'l-waraqat al-awwal).
Say: God, no
god is there except Him.
Why the qur'anic
Ṭā-Hā' (abjad = 14) isolated letters
should be used here is not clear unless the abjad value 14 is indicative of
the Shī`ī holy family (12 Imams + Muhammad and Fātima). .
The fourth surah likewise has isolated letters:
In the
name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
H-[S]-M.
A Dhikr (Remembrance) from myself
unto the snow-white leaf (li-1-
waraqat al-al-bayda')
the the Crimson (al-hamra')
Then
the eleventh Surah:
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
A-L-M-R.
The Remembrance of God
(Dhikr
Allah) unto the Blessed Leaf (al-waraqat al-mubaraka) from the Yellow Tree (shajarat al-sufrā'),
no God is there except Him....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit) 14
Then in the fourteenth Surah of the K. AI-Ruh an
occurrence of the six times occurring qur'anic H-M (= Q. Surahs 40; 41; 43;
44;45;46)
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
Ha-Mīm.
The Remembrance of God (Dhikr Allah) unto
the Blessed Leaf (li-l-waraqat al-mubaraka) from the Yellow Tree (shajarat
al-sufrā'), No God is there except Him....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit) 16
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
Ha-Mim.
A sending down from a Noble Book (kitāb Karīm).
Say
unto the those engaged in striving (jihad?
li'1-jihidīn) amongst you.
Let it commence [flow]! in a Book of
God.....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit) 17
Then there is found after the basmalah
A-L-M-S (as in Q. Surah 7) there occurs in the seventeenth surah of the
K.
AI-Ruh:
In the name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
A-L-M-S.
A remembrance of
thy Lord (dhikr rabbuka) on the Day of permission (? yawm al-udhn) unto the
Blessed Leaf (li'l-waraqat al-mubaraka from the Sinatic Tree (shajarat al-tur): 'God,
not Giod is there except Him though most of the people are entirely unaware!
Say: 0 thou concourse! [of Muslims?] This is the Sirat Allah (Path of God)...
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit) 24
In the
name of God, the Merciful the Compassionate.
A-L-M-S.
A
Remembrance of thy Lord in the countenance of the inmost
heart (wahj al-fu'ad)...
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
26
Next in surah twenty-six of the
K. AI-Ruh A-L-M-R-[A] occurs, a set also found in the Qayyūm al-asmā' with an
abjad
value of 231 [2] (see above)
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
A-L-M-R-[A].
A revelation on the part of One Mighty, Wise. He
it is who set the
Ark
(al-fulk) upon the [Cosmic] Water (al-ma') and
sent out [transmitted] the breezes [breaths] just as He hath willed, no God is
there save Him.
Say: Fear ye then God! We have assuredly sent down the
[ancient] scrolls (al-suhuf), the Gospel (al-injīl) and the
Qur'an perchance the people might be guided by the verses of God. The
Sanctification [glorification] (al-subbah)
hath assuredly risen up with the permission of thy Lord.
Say: God is indeed
the Creator of everything ('all things',
kuilu shay'), no God is
there except Him. I am but a servant [ of God?] ('abd [Allah] upon this Sirat
(Path) perchance you will come to know. The permission hath indeed come unto
the Leaf (al-waraqa) Vnat you shall call me to remembrance nigh the
Dawning-Place of the Snow-white Thread (mat la' khayt al-baydā') perchance you
shall be shown mercy (or return). Those have indeed disbelieved who assert
that certain of the verses of the Book [of the Bab] are [as] the words of the
Qur'an (kalimat al-qur'an). Say: God is indeed exalted [far beyond] the like
of what they assert [s-f-y; in Sufi fashion?].. (Complete S. 24 mss. 84).
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
28
Next in surah twenty-eight of
the K. AI-Ruh A-L-M-R-A occurs, a set also found in the
Qayyūm al-asmā'
with an abjad va\ue of 232 (see above). Thus sura 28 has
the Basmalah then
A-L-M (as Q.x 6 see above):
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
A-L-M
The Remembrance of the countenance of the Name of thy Lord.....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
29
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
T-H (as Q. 20 only):
The Dhikr Allah unto the crimson Leaf
(waraqat al-hamra') [revealed]
from the right-hand side of the Throne of God - no God is there except Him-
sent down by One Mighty, Wise. Follow then what was revealed (w-h-y) unto you
on the part of God. [Glorify then God] May God hasten [his advent]. He [the
Qa'im-Dhikr] hath assuredly come though most of the people are not aware....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
31
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
T-S-M
(as Q.x2 26 &28):
The Remembrance of thy
Lord on the Day of the Command unto the Crimson Tree (li'l-shajarat al-hamra'),
God, no God is there except Him.
Say: Commit ye austerity (R-H-B)! We indeed
took a covenant [regarding] the Remembrance of the Name of thy Lord with every
thing
(min kuilu
shay'). This to the effect that you should not draw nigh
the Tree of the
Cosmic
Ocean (?) (shajarat al-mā') that they might be numbered among the
(al-khasiffn).[Despite this directive Adam and his wife did indeed draw nigh
that Tree (al-shajarat) and were numbered among the wayward
(al-zālimīn).
We thus said 'Then did [they] fall down [from the
Paradise] of holiness (al-muqaddas)'. Whereupon did they serve God perchance
they might attain mercy/ return (?). Wherefore is this among the tales of the
unseen which We reveal unto theesuch that the people might believein the
verses of thy Lord and might be numbered among the (Al-khasha'Tn?). We
assuredly send down the command to Adam that he should tirn away from (??) thy
Lord from the Shore of the House (shatral-bayt). Say: We assuredly
forgave the two of them such they they both might draw near. We indeed
regarded them as [pious] servants [of God] in the Archetypal Book (umm
al-kitab).....
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
32
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
T-H (as Q.x2 26 &28)
The Dhikr Allah is in the the
Snow-white Leaf [Dove] (waraqat al-baydā'). Then from the Yellow Tree
(shajarat al-sufrā') [ was heard the words], 'God, no God is there except
Him'. Mention in the Book, Joseph Our servant! In the Archetypal Book (umm
al-Kitab) he is before Us (ladayna), among such as prostrate themselves. We,
verily, we unveil (k-sh-f) in the night [sleep] (al-nam) the verses of thy Lord.
And We send down revelation (w-h-y) unto him. Should the gaze be oriented
towards the Face of Heaven you would witness the Sun and the Moon and the Stars
before Thee before the witness. And when he witnessed the decree (al-hukm) from
before he who.. He verily sent divine inspiration from the precincts of the
House (shatr al-bayt),,, Our servant that you might be numbered among those
possessed of certitude. Say: when he heard of thy Lord........
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit)
34
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
A-L-M (as Q.x6):
The Remembrance of God is in the [Sinaitic]
Fire and among such as are round about it. Say: God no God is there except Him,
the Exalted, the Great. The likeness of the Sinaitic Tree (shajarat al-tur)
before God is as this my Remembrance (DhirkT). Say: God, no God is there except
Him....
36
K. Ruh
surah 36 = Basmalah then T-H: (Q)
38
K. Ruh
surah 38 = Basmalah then A-L-M: (Q)
39
K. Ruh
surah 36 = Basmalah then T-S-M: (Q) 41
K. Ruh
surah 41 = Basmalah then T-S-M (Q)
43
K. Ruh
surah 43 = Basmalah then H-M (Q)
Kitāb al-rūḥ (Book of
the Spirit) 44
In the name of God, the Merciful the
Compassionate.
A-L-M
(Q) [49
K.
Ruh
surah 49:90 = Basmalah then
The
Remembrance of thy Lord on the Day of actualization (al-udhn) is the Snow-White Tree (shajarat
al-bayd'), the Yellow Leaf (waraqat al-sufrā').
Say: God, no God is there except
Him.
p.95
..they disbelieve who say that God, He is the Messiah
(al-masīh).
Say: Glorified and exalted be He[God]! Jesus son of Mary was naught except a
riwa'u (?) originated through / from Our command. He assuredly sent him with the
Justice (bi'l-'adi) and the Book .... We revealed it as an inner exegesis (ta'wīl)
of the Qur'an that the people might understand. This indeed is the the Sirat
(Path) of thy Lord in the heavens and on the earth..
55
K. Ruh
surah 55 = Basmalah then A-L-M (Q
57
K. Ruh surah 57 = Basmalah then T-S-M
(Q)
58
K. Ruh surah 58 =
........................A-L-M
(Q)
59
K. Ruh surah 59 .............Allah.,,
then A-L-M-S (? Q)
61
K. Ruh surah 61
....................... then H-M (Q)
62
K. Ruh surah 62 =
.....................then A-L-M (Q)
63
K. Ruh surah 63
=...................... then A-L-M-R (Q)
65
K. Ruh surah 65 =
..................... then T-S-M (Q)
The
Kitāb al-rūḥ
Provisional Trans.
Stephen N. Lambden
From an incomplete mss.
in the possession of `Abu'l-Qasim
Afnan.
[0]
In
the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Alif-Lām-Mim-Rā'.
[1]
This Book is a Dhikr
(Remembrance) from
God
according to the
Decree of a wondrous servant
[the
Bāb] (`abd badī`).
He is assuredly
the True One (al-ḥaqq)
within
the heavens and the earth.
[2]
TO BE COMPLETED
Nov.. 2003
