Name of Tablet in Arabic or Persian:
"Kalimát-i-Maknúnih" or
"Sahífiy-i-Fatimiyyih"
Translation into English:
Originally "The Hidden Book of Fatimih," and
later "The Hidden Words." Also sometimes referred to simply as "The
Book of Fatimih." See below.
There have been more translations of the Hidden Words than of any
other Bahá'í text. E.G. Browne first translated parts of it for his
rendition of A Traveller's Narrative in 1891; Ibráhím Kheiralla
translated the entire text in 1894 and 1900; Amin Fareed trans. and
published it in 1905; a Mrs. Stannard rendered it in English in 1921;
and Shoghi Effendi translated it in a few drafts: the first in 1923, the
second in 1924, the third in 1925, the fourth in 1929, with a final
revision in 1954.
For discussion of the Hidden Words, see Diana Malouf, Unveiling the
Hidden Words (George Ronald, 1997), and also her article "The
Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh: Translation Norms Employed by Shoghi
Effendi," in The Vision of Shoghi Effendi (ABS, 1993); E.G. Browne,
original trans. of Traveller's Narrative, 122-126; and Franklin
Lewis' "Scripture as Literature," available only online, at
bahai-library.com/conferences/scripture.lit.html. David
Hofman discusses George Townshend's role in the authorized
translation in his book George Townshend, pp. 56-59 and 78-79.
Significance of Name:
The Hidden Words was known as the "Hidden Book of Fatimih,"
(Sahífiyyih-Maknúniyh-Fatimiyyih) until around the mid-1860s, at
which time it came to be referred to simply as the "Hidden Words." In the
Lawh-i-Sultán (Tablet to the King of Persia), from 1867, Bahá'u'lláh
quotes four Persian Hidden Words and states that these are from a work
which "was" known as "Sahífiyyih-Maknúniyh-Fatimiyyih" but "these
days" is called "Kalimát-i-Maknúnih" (Hidden Words).
For many reasons which are beyond the scope of this note, Shiism has
long held strong beliefs in two layers of meaning in Sacred Writings,
the "exoteric" (zahir) and the "esoteric" or "hidden" (batin). The
former are the outer essentials of religion and theological explanations
for the masses, and especially the non-Shii Muslims. The "hidden"
teachings are those only known to the truest Muslims, the Shiis and
especially the Shii Imáms. (Much discussion of this can be found in
The Divine Guide in Early Shi'ism, by Mohammad Alí Amir-Moezzi,
and also in a paper I wrote, "The Shi'i Qur'an," online at
bahai-library.com/personal/jw/my.papers/.) This, then,
is one possible meaning of "hidden," the fact that Bahá'u'lláh is now
revealing teachings which previously had been reserved for the
spiritual elite.
The academic consensus, supported even by much Shi'i consensus, is
that the Book of Fatimih is mythical; even 'Abdu'l-Bahá admitted that it
did not really exist. As a myth, however, its history and meaning was
clear. The sixth Imám of Shiism, Ja'far al-Sadiq, relates that, when
Muhammad's daughter Fatimih the wife of the first Imám Alí and
mother of Imám Husayn was grieving Muhammad's death, an angel
visited her with words of comfort. This angel is often said to be Gabriel
and, since Gabriel was the bearer of the annunciation to Mary, mother
of Jesus, and to Muhammad, he represents divine revelation and the
Book of Fatimih would thus have come from God. Fatimih mentioned
this to Ali, who advised that she record everything Gabriel told her
(or, in some versions, wrote it down himself). The resulting Book of
Fatimih is unlike the Qur'an in that it contained more mystical and
prophetic teachings, and was said to be 17,000 verses, almost three
times the size of the Qur'an. The subsequent Imáms were the only ones
who had possession of the book and, by extension, anyone who had the
book was the Imám (this is important). In 874, though, the last Imám
disappeared and became "occulted," or "hidden." Within a short time,
Shiis ("Twelver" Shiis only) began to believe that the Hidden Imám
would one day return as the "Qa'im," or "Mahdi," and bring the Day of
Judgment and the end of time. When he came, one of the proofs he would
have of his identity would be that he would possess the hidden Book of
Fatimih. As well, he would prove his authority by revealing the hidden,
secret meanings of all previous religious texts (sound familiar?!).
A further significance has far-reaching ramifications. The exact
meanings of terms like "Báb," "Mahdi," and "Qa'im" are difficult to
determine and, even though the Báb was technically the
Báb/Mahdi/Qa'im, Bahá'u'lláh also represents certain aspects of each.
The Shii audience would have been expecting the Mahdi to authenticate
His revelation by, among other things, revealing the "hidden" meanings
of previous religions and possessing the Hidden Book of Fatimih. Thus,
when Bahá'u'lláh gave His book that title, the significance could not
have escaped His audience, for the very act of composing a book by that
title was to make an indirect claim, not just to Prophethood, but to the
very abrogation of the rule of the Ulama! 'Abdu'l-Bahá also points out
this significance, saying that Bahá'u'lláh "willed to make known the
appearance of the Qa'im by intimation and implication; therefore was it
mentioned in this manner for a wise reason which He had" (quoted in
Malouf, diss. version of Unveiling..., 95 [trans. Browne?]).
While it would have been clear that the Hidden Words was not
*literally* meant to be the Book of Fatimih, for it was much shorter
and did not contain some of the things that Fatimih's was said to
contain, the title alone would have been enough to make some people
wonder. It is not clear how many people made the connection, since this
was 5 years before His private declaration and 10 years before His
public one, but in retrospect we can see the great significance this title
has.
Tablet was revealed in:
Arabic and Persian
Reason for Revelation of the Tablet:
Bahá'u'lláh gives four reasons for the revelation of the work in the
preface to the Arabic section: "This is that which hath descended from
the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and
revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence
thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, [1] as a token of grace
unto the righteous, [2] that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant
of God, [3] may fulfill in their lives His trust, [4] and in the realm of
spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue." Taherzadeh also gives as a
reason that: "The chief aim of Bahá'u'lláh in The Hidden Words is to
detach man from this mortal world and to protect his soul from its
greatest enemy, himself" (p. 75).
Date of Revelation:
Taherzadeh writes that it was revealed in 1858,
with certain passages being added later. On page 98 of George Latimer's
pilgrim's notes, The Light of the World (1920), the following
unauthenticated quotation is found: The question was asked, "When and
where was the Hidden Words revealed and why was it called hidden?"
'Abdu'l-Bahá answered: "At first it was concealed. It was not circulated. It
was revealed at Baghdad towards the ends of our stay there. It was not given
to anyone. There were not more than two or three copies of it. It was at a
time when all the enemies were attacking us. The Sháh of Persia was
oppressing and the Ottoman government was also oppressing us. At such a
time they were revealed."
Place of Revelation:
Baghdad, while pacing the banks of the Tigris
River
Role of Amanuensis or Secretary:
Many students have written that
there was an amanuensis who recorded the Hidden Words as they were
revealed. I have found no mention of a role of an amanuensis. If you have
found evidence, please tell me where.
Other Tablets revealed at about the same time:
Numerous tablets were revealed during this, the middle to late Baghdad
period, such as the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, the many
tablets studied in Week One, and numerous mystical Tablets such as the
Tablet of the Maiden. John Hatcher also gives a list in The Ocean of His
Words, p.380.
Style, Subject, and Genre:
Style: Tablets with the tone of command and authority. Townshend's
introduction says that the Arabic Hidden Words are "more simple,
direct, definite, ethical" exhortations, mostly addressed to individuals,
while the Persian ones are longer, "personal, appealing, mystical,
poetical" and often addressed to groups.
Subject: The Hidden Words encompass a number of subjects. While the
main ones are "Tablets exhorting men to education, goodly character
and divine virtues" and "Tablets dealing with social teachings," some
also "concern matters of government and world order" and at least one,
the Persian #77, is "Mystical." Shoghi Effendi also calls it "ethical,"
saying that the Hidden Words has the position of "unsurpassed
preeminence among the...ethical writings of [Bahá'u'lláh]" (God
Passes By, 140).
Genre: It can be said to be an "Essay or book, not revealed to a specific
person," but is more clearly a kind of rhymed prose akin to poetry
called "saj`," which is the same style of most of the Qur'an. But, since
it isn't wholly saj`, there really is no clear genre in all of Arabic-
Persian literary tradition into which the Hidden Words falls; it is a
unique literary form.
Voice of Tablet: [?]
While most of the Hidden Words is clearly in the voice
of God ("O My Servants"), there are places in which it sounds as if
Bahá'u'lláh is addressing us more from the human vantage point.
Outline Contents of Tablet (if possible)
The contents are perhaps best summarized by Taherzadeh on p. 72:
"This marvelous collection of heavenly counsels and admonitions can be described as a perfect
guide-book for man on his journey to the spiritual worlds of God...The Hidden
Words not only sets out the provisions of this universal and everlasting Covenant which binds
man to his Creator, but also demonstrates the way in which he can be faithful to
it."
Principal themes of the Tablet:
Diana Malouf, in the dissertation version of Unveiling..., writes
"Thematically, numerous strands wind themselves intricately though
the broader tapestry. They are like an arabesque, interwoven,
recombined, weaving in and out without an abrupt beginning or end.
Some stanzas in proximity address a certain theme, such as love (A 3-
10), faultfinding (A 26-29), death (A 31-34), martyrdom (A 45-
57), or tribulation (A 48-53). However, in stanzas dealing
ostensibly with a subject, other themes enter and are picked up and
then disappear and appear later, in another stanza, composing a rich
texture....The work resists [thematization; it] is far too complex"
(diss., 57-58).
One student has also drawn up a useful four-part typology:
1. Commands on heavenly virtues
2. Commands on earthly virtues
3. Descriptions of heavenly virtues or verities
4. Descriptions of earthly virtues or verities
Comment on the Tablet's relationship to any other tablets:
The Hidden Words mentions two other tables, the "fifth Tablet of
Paradise" and the "Ruby Tablet," both of which Abdu'l-Bahá says have
not yet been revealed. After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Shoghi Effendi ranks the
Hidden Words second only to the Kitáb-i-Íqán in importance. (God
Passes By, 140)
As well, the Hidden Words can be related to all other dispensations by the statement which it opens with, "This is that which hath descended from the realm of glory,
uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed
unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence
thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity..." It is thus a distillation of the teachings from all previous dispensations.