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Bab Tafsir- Sharḥ Khuṭbat al-Ṭutunjiyya

شرح خطبة الطتنجية

The Commentary of the Bāb upon a statement of Sayyid Kāẓim Rashti (d. 1843) in his Sharḥ al-Khuṭba al-Ṭutunjiyya


Stephen Lambden 2006-10

The al-Khuṭba al-Ṭutunjiyya

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The brief commentary of the Bāb on a phrase of Sayyid Kazim Rashti's in his Sharh Khuṭbat al-Tutunjiyya (“Sermon of the Gulf”) is extant in at least four mss. sources (see MacEoin, Sources, 198), including:

  • [1] Iran National Baha'i Archives mss 4014C : 171-176,
  • [2] Iran National Baha'i Archives
  • [3] Iran National Baha'i Archives
  • [4] Iran National Baha'i Archives Manuscript Collection 67:125-9.

The Opening of the Sharḥ al-Khuṭba al-Ṭutunjiyya of the Bab in INBMC 67:125

     

This probably early, short, roughly 5-6 page Arabic work of the Bāb, opens with the Islamic basmala and straightway refers to the Kh-ṭutunjiyya of “Our mawlānā (“Lord”) [Imam] `Alī who, the Bab declares, opens this sermon with a “statement expressive of a thousand degrees of praise and salutation” (ālāf al-thanā’ wa’l-taḥiyya), namely, “Praised be to God, who hath cleft the firmaments asunder, etc”. He then refers to what the al-mu`allim (“the teacher”), apparently his one time teacher Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī.

The Tafsīr of the Bāb on a passage in the Sharḥ Khuṭbat al-Ṭutunjiyya of Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī ...

   

The Tafsir or Sharḥ al-Khuṭba al-Ṭutunjiyya of of the Bab.

Trans. Stephen Lambden 2006, 2010.

The text translated here is that in INBMC 67:125-9 (see above).

 In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

 Our Master [Imam] `Alī said (upon him be peace) in the Khuṭbat al-Tutunjiyya (“Sermon of the Gulf”) according to his statement expressive of a thousand degrees of praise and salutation (ālāf al-thanā’ wa’l-taḥiyya), “Praised be to God, who hath cleft the firmaments asunder, etc”. And the teacher (al-mu`allim) [? Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī] said -- may my spirit be a sacrifice for him -- `I indeed do say, `In the Name of God’ and `Praised be to God’, for `I seek commencement in God'" in commenting upon a mystery of the utterance (fī sharḥ sirr min al-kalimat) which hath been commented upon by the Word of Truth (kalimat al-ḥaqq) ( through Sayyid Kāẓim himself?) – may my spirit be a sacrifice unto him – through the Khuṭbat al-Ṭutunjiyya (“Sermon of the Gulf”) that he might instruct the people [about] the [alphabetical] Script of the All ["Universal Script"] through the decree of the Book (kḥaṭṭ al-kull min ḥukm al-kitāb) as befits the portion so merited (kalimat al-thawāb) and in accordance with what God had willed respecting this Snow- White Leaf (al-waraqat al-bayḍā’).

 Now as for the allusion (al-ishāra) unto the utterance (kalimat) of the Imam -- may my soul be a sacrifice for him -- "There is indeed no Path for anyone; neither [attainment] through allusion (al-ishara) nor through its Logos-Self (nafs)!" So when the utterance (al-kalimat) was related unto God they were silenced such that there was no comprehension (ma`rifat) for anyone about [the meaning of] his utterance (kalimat) since his utterance (kalimat) --upon him be peace -- was a narrative expressive of His station (maqam) for none is able to know what He is except He Himself. Praised be unto Thy Lord, the Lord of Power (rabb al-quwwat) above whatsoever they describe.

 Now as for the allusion (al-ishāra) unto the deeper sense of the saying of the bāb [gate to Imami guidance = ? Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī] (buṭūn kalām al-bāb)  -- may my Spirit be a sacrifice unto him -- for he cried out the Truth (al-haqq) according to the    Point (al-nuqtat al-

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