Symbol and Secret:

click for larger photo

The opening page of the original manuscript of the Kitáb-i Íqán in the handwriting of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, produced in 1278 A.H. (1861-62 C.E.). Minor marginal additions were made by Bahá'u'lláh himself. The manuscript was given to Hájí Mírzá Sayyid Muhammad in Baghdad, in reply to his questions, and remained in his family until 1948, when it was donated to the Bahá'í World Centre. (Courtesy of the Bahá'í World Centre)

     CONTENTS 

Foreword by Juan R. I. Cole..............................................xi

Acknowledgements.........................................................xv

Introduction............................................................xix

Chapter One
  Bahá'u'lláh and the Book of Certitude...................................1

Chapter Two
  Exegesis and Ideology: The Doctrinal Content of the Book of Certitude..51

Chapter Three
  Beyond Islam: Hermeneutical Terminology in the Book of Certitude.......81

Chapter Four
  Exegetical Techniques in the Book of Certitude........................109

Chapter Five
  Conclusion: The Other Side of the Bridge..............................233

Bibliography............................................................305

Appendix: Quran verses cited in the Íqán................................325 

Contents: v. 1 [no title]-v. 2 From Iran east and west / edited by Juan R. Cole and Moojan Momen-[etc.]-v. 7. Symbol and Secret: Qur'an commentary in Bahá'u'lláh's Kitáb-i Íqan / by Christopher Buck. 1. Bahá'í Faith-History. 2. Babism-History. I. Momen, Moojan. II. Cole, Juan Ricardo. III. Smith, Peter, 1947, Nov. 27- . IV. R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram. V. Title: Studies in the Bábí and Bahá'i religions.