# Outline Study Guide of the Kitab-i-Iqan

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Part One
> 
> I. To attain to the knowledge of God one must put his trust in Him and 
> disregard the standards of men. -14
> 
> A. The guidance of recognized leaders has led people to oppose the 
> Prophets. 4-5
> 
> B. The Manifestations of God have always been subject to persecution. 6
> 
> 1. Only a few remained with Noah. 7
> 
> 2. Hud, Salih, Abraham, Moses, all invited the people to the path of God and 
> were scorned by the greater number. 9-12
> 
> C. The testimony of Providence has always been complete; it would be 
> inconsistent were God to single out one being to guide all creatures and 
> withhold all proof from the message given, and then to punish people for 
> failure to accept it. 13-14
> 
> II. The reasons for failure to recognize and accept a Prophet are many. 14-
> 89
> 
> A. The people have tested the proofs sent by God by the standards of 
> earthly leaders and have rejected what they could not understand. 14-15
> 
> 1. The leaders of religion have been actuated by a desire for leadership 
> or by lack of knowledge; they have been content with temporal power. 15
> 
> 2. They have never comprehended the signs of the advent of the 
> Manifestation. 17-20
> 3. They have sought guidance from tradition rather than from the pure 
> source of knowledge. 17
> 
> B. The mystery of the distinction between, and at the same time the unity 
> among, the Prophets is not understood. 21-22
> 
> C. Symbolic language is a hindrance to the people. 
> 
> 1. Jesus' account of the signs heralding the new Revelation was taken 
> literally instead of figuratively. 24-42
> 
> a. Because these signs did not occur literally the followers of Jesus 
> maintain that His Dispensation will never end and that a return of Jesus 
> means that His law will be reaffirmed, not changed. 27
> b. The "oppression" of those days refers to spiritual affliction which is the 
> essential feature of every Revelation. 29-31
> c. The "sun" "moon" and "stars" refer primarily to the Prophets, the saints 
> and their companions. 33-36
> d. These terms also apply to religious leaders, whose light fades in the 
> coming of a new Revelation. 36-37
> 
> e. They may also mean the laws and teachings of each Dispensation. 38-41
> f. The " sign of the son of man in heaven" refers both to an actual star in the 
> physical heavens, preceding the appearance of a Prophet, and to a human being 
> who foretells the Revelation to come. 61-66
> g. The "coming in the clouds of heaven" refers to the fact that these Divine 
> Beings at one and  the same time dwell on earth and live in the eternal world 
> of the spirit; are born like all men and yet descend to earth at the will of God. 
> 66-67
> h. "Clouds" refer to things contrary to the desires of the people, that 
> accordingly act as veils to their comprehension. 
> 
> (1) One type of "cloud" is the annulment of laws, abrogation of previous 
> Dispensations, repeal of rituals and customs, and the exalting of the illiterate 
> faithful over the learned opponents. 71-72
> (2) The other type of "cloud" is the appearance of the Divine Manifestation 
> in the likeness of ordinary men, with human needs and physical limitations. 
> 72-75
> i. "Angels" refer to those who have risen above earthly traits and become 
> purely spiritual in devotion to God. 78-80
> 
> 2. The symbolism in the Qur'an has also been misunderstood. 43, 46-48, 71, 
> 75-78
> 
> a. The use of "sun", "east", "west", "heaven" has not been correctly 
> interpreted. 43-44
> b. The "cleaving of heaven" means the annulling of a former Dispensation. 
> 44
> c. The "changing of the earth" means the changing of men's hearts. 46-47
> d. "Earth" refers to human knowledge and "heaven" to Divine Revelation. 47-
> 48
> e. "Smoke" enshrouding mankind means dissension and the destruction of 
> standards. 76-77
> 
> D. God purposely tests the people. 49
> 
> 1. By the symbolism referred to. 49
> 
> 2. By changes in ordinances, such as that concerning the Qiblih. 49-52
> 3. By incidents in the lives of the Prophets that cannot be reconciled by 
> the people with Their Mission. 
> 
> a. Moses was a murderer. 53-55
> b. The father of Jesus was unknown. 56-57
> c. The ways of the manifestation are contrary to the ways of ordinary men. 
> 57
> 
> E. Earthly knowledge obscures the understanding of men. 57
> 
> F. People interpret the Holy Books according to their own imagination and 
> desires. 84-91
> 
> III. In this age the story of past Revelations is being repeated. 
> 
> A. Whatever has caused denial in the past has now led the people again 
> to be perverse. 13
> 
> B. The waters of everlasting life are being bestowed upon mankind from 
> Baghdad. 22
> 
> C. Once more has the Divine Spirit caused the spiritually dead to arise. 26
> 
> D. Again the people persecute the Prophet who has appeared. 58-59
> 
> E. Again in this most exalted Cause a visible star appeared in warning in 
> the heavens, and Ahmad and Kasim on earth to teach the people. 65
> 
> F. It behooves us to see to it that the clouds of the trials sent by God do 
> not blind us to the message of His Prophet. 75
> 
> G. The divines who would admit that the signs preceding the Manifestation 
> of Muhammad were not to be taken literally nevertheless declare in 
> connection with the new Revelation that the traditions regarding the Qa'im 
> have not been fulfilled. 83
> 
> IV. The people of the Bayan should take warning not to forget the wishes 
> and admonitions of their Holy Book, lest they in turn inflict upon a new 
> Manifestation what was inflicted upon the former. 92-93
> 
> 
> 
> Part Two
> 
> I. The Manifestations reveal an all-compelling power. 97-139
> 
> A. God is exalted beyond every human attribute and is everlastingly 
> hidden. 98
> 
> B. He therefore sends His Manifestations, with power and authority, to 
> teach mankind. 99-100
> 
> C. All things testify of God; man more fully, the Manifestation most 
> completely. 101-103
> 
> D. All Prophets are equally the embodiment of all the attributes of God and 
> only differ in the comparative intensity of their revelation. 104
> 
> E. True sovereignty belongs to the Manifestations of God. 106-135
> 
> 1. This sovereignty is not of the nature that men imagine. 106
> 
> 2. The Prophets have always in foretelling a new Manifestation spoken of 
> the sovereignty which he would possess. 106
> 3. Sovereignty in this sense is the spiritual ascendancy of the 
> Manifestation over all that is in heaven and earth. 107
> 4. This sovereignty becomes evident in the world in due time in proportion 
> to the spiritual receptivity of the world. 107-108
> 
> a. Muhammad suffered severe persecution in the early days of His 
> Dispensation. 108-110, 116
> b. Eventually the authority if Muhammad has been confessed by numerous 
> peoples. 110
> c. The early sovereignty of a Prophet may be established either before or 
> after His ascension. 111
> 
> 5. The Word of the Prophet acts both to separate the believer from the 
> infidel and to unite believers. 111-112
> 6. He who turns to the Prophet is forgiven and enters spiritual life and he 
> who turns away suffers spiritual death. This explains the significance of 
> resurrection, judgment, paradise and hell 113-123
> 7. The sovereignty of the Creative Word of the Manifestation is 
> immeasurably superior to that of kings. 123-124
> 8. The sovereignty of the Manifestation cannot refer to the outer evidence 
> of earthly power, because this is not true even of God, in the sense that His 
> enemies have always appeared to exercise power; nevertheless in the midst of 
> persecution and apparent lack of earthly success, the prophets are all-
> powerful. 125-134
> 9. The followers of Muhammad have in this day made the same objections 
> to the sovereignty of the Qa'im that the Jews and Christians uttered against 
> Muhammad. 135
> 
> II. The greatest of blessings is to attain to the presence of the 
> Manifestation in the Day of Resurrection. 139-147
> 
> A. Attainment to the presence of God means attainment to the presence 
> of His Manifestation. 139-142, 170
> 
> 1. Approach to the essence of God is impossible. 141
> 
> 2. The Prophets mirror forth the attributes of God. 142
> 3. Knowledge of God is impossible except through knowledge of His 
> Prophets. 142
> 
> B. Attainment to the presence of the Manifestation (and hence to God) is 
> possible only in the Day of Resurrection. 143
> 
> C. This Day is so important that one virtuous deed done now equals all the 
> acts of virtue performed for centuries. 144
> 
> D. The learned who fail to recognize the manifestation in the Day of 
> Resurrection are truly ignorant, while the illiterate who do so are endowed 
> with spiritual wisdom. 145-147
> 
> III. In each Dispensation occurs a return of the qualities exhibited in 
> earlier Dispensations. 148-161
> 
> A. Muhammad accused His opponents of having murdered Abel and other 
> Prophets of the past. 
> 
> B. Muhammad spoke of Himself as identical with the Prophets people had 
> formerly known. 150
> 
> C. The Manifestations are all sent from God and all deliver the same Cause; 
> hence each may be regarded as the return of the previous Prophets. 152-154
> 
> D. Those who follow or oppose the Prophets are likewise repeating the 
> former actions of the followers and opponents of earlier Manifestations. 155-
> 160
> 
> IV. All the manifestations are at the same time the first and the last, the 
> beginning and the seal. 161-175
> 
> A. Abraham declared, "I am all the Prophets. " Since He was the first, 
> he was also the last. 162
> 
> B. The terms "first" and "last" are applicable both to God and His 
> Manifestations. 163
> 
> C. It has been stated repeatedly by the Prophets themselves but has always 
> been misunderstood by the leaders of religion. 164-169
> 
> D. The people have accepted the verses of the Holy Scriptures that agree 
> with their opinions and interests and rejected those that are opposed; hence 
> they have been unable to understand the verses referring to the Manifestation. 
> 169-175
> 
> V. The Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. 152-154, 176-
> 181
> 
> A. One is the station of essential unity. 152, 176
> 
> 1. In this station each can be called by the name of all the others and 
> each has the attributes of all. 152
> 
> 2. All call the people to acknowledge the oneness of God. 152-153
> 3. All exemplify the same speech and the same Faith. 153-154
> 4. In this station the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness 
> and Inmost Essence are applicable to the Manifestations. 177
> 5. They reveal the beauty of God and utter His commands. 177-178
> 6. They can, from this station, declare themselves to be God. 178
> 
> B. The second station is that of distinction as to individuality, mission and 
> predestined Revelation. 176
> 
> 1. In this station the Prophets show absolute servitude to God. 178-
> 180
> 
> 2. They can, from this station, declare themselves to be the Messengers of 
> God. 181
> 
> C. Apparent contradictions in statements of the Prophets arise from the 
> difference in Their specific mission. 177
> 
> VI. The seeker after Divine Knowledge must turn to the Prophets and to the 
> illumined in heart. 182-191
> 
> A. No one should interpret the Holy Books according to his own 
> understanding, nor reject their truth if contrary to his own inclination. 182
> 
> B. The religious authorities have always called the Prophet ignorant if His 
> answers have not agreed with their standard and that people have followed 
> the ignorance of the theologians instead of the wisdom of the Heavenly 
> Messenger. 182-191
> 
> C. Only a really spiritual leader can give a spiritual interpretation. 
> 191
> 
> VII. The requirements for one who seeks the knowledge of God are as 
> follows. 192-195
> 
> A. He must cleanse his heart of acquired knowledge. 192
> 
> B. He must sanctify his soul from all that pertains to the earth and from 
> all attachments. 192-193
> 
> C. He must cleanse his heart of love, lest it incline him to error, and of 
> hate, lest it repel him from the truth. 192
> 
> D. He must beware of the fire of the tongue and remember that backbiting 
> kills the soul. 193
> 
> E. He should be content with little and free from inordinate desires. 193
> 
> F. He should avoid worldly people and associate with the worldly-minded. 
> 194
> 
> G. He should commune with God at dawn each day. 194
> 
> H. He should help those in distress and be kind to animals and to his 
> fellow-man. 194
> 
> I. He should be willing to die for God and not be turned away from truth by 
> the disapproval of men. 194
> J. He should keep promises and not wish for others what he does not wish 
> for himself. 194
> K. He should avoid the company of sinners but should pray for them and not 
> despise them. 194
> 
> VIII. The seeker thus endowed (cleansed of all impeding attachments) will 
> be transformed. 196-199
> 
> A. He will be given knowledge and certitude. 196
> 
> B. He will have a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, a new mind; will 
> perceive in every atom the mysteries of God unfolded. 196
> 
> C. He will perceive all the signs of God and be attracted by the appearance 
> of God's favors, regardless of distance. 197
> 
> D. He will discriminate between truth and falsehood. 197
> 
> E. In the City of Certitude he will find spiritual wealth and eternal life and 
> will comprehend all mysteries. 197-199
> 
> IX. By "the City of Certitude" is meant the Word of God, which is the 
> greatest proof of the Manifestation. 199-211
> 
> A. This City is renewed about every thousand years. 199
> 
> B. In the Dispensation of "Him Whom God will make manifest" the City is 
> His Book, which is supreme among all previous scriptures. 199-200
> 
> C. These Cities give unity, guidance, learning, understanding, faith and 
> certitude to those who seek. 200
> 
> D. Muhammad appointed His Book as the mightiest guide until the Day of 
> Resurrection. 200-202
> 
> 1. Since God has declared that this Book, the Qur'an, is guidance to all 
> beings, it is not fair for people to seek other standards of knowledge. 203
> 
> 2. He who fails to acknowledge the truth of the Qur'an has also failed to 
> accept the previous Scriptures. 204
> 3. The excellence of the Qur'an is unsurpassed and its verses convey God's 
> wisdom. 205
> 4. Those who do not accept the verses of God are warned by Muhammad of 
> punishment. 206-212
> 
> E. Understanding of the Word of God depends not on human learning but on 
> purity of heart and soul. 210-211
> 
> F. Those in this day who are ignorant of acquired learning but understand 
> the words of the Manifestation are blessed with real wisdom and 
> understanding. 211
> 
> X. Every Dispensation has believed its Prophet to be the final Manifestation. 
> 135-137, 212-221
> 
> A. The Jews believed that no messenger would follow Moses. 135-137
> 
> B. Muhammad pointed out that the people had in the past disbelieved in the 
> Prophet until His death and would then declare that there would be no 
> Messenger after Him. 212
> 
> C. The Christians also believed the Gospel would never be annulled. 213
> 
> D. The leaders of religion are veiled and do not see this inconsistency. 
> 214-215
> 
> E. In this day the Revealer of the Holy Book has again been persecuted and 
> rejected by the divines. 215-221
> 
> XI. There are, however, many proofs of the truth of the New Revelation. 
> 221-257
> 
> A. One of the proofs of this New Revelation is the character of the 
> early followers. 221-229
> 
> 1. Among the early believers were about four hundred men of 
> distinction, wisdom and influence. 222-224
> 
> 2. They sacrificed their lives in testifying to the truth of their belief, and 
> their testimony should be accepted because their deeds agree with their 
> words. 224-226
> 3. They have by martyrdom born witness to the verse "Wish for death, if ye 
> are men of truth. " 227
> 4. Very few of them, however, have occupied posts of authority, for very 
> rarely does material influence coincide with spiritual insight. 228-229
> 
> B. The Bab has prepared the way for a following Dispensation by warning 
> His followers not to turn away from the succeeding Manifestation. 229
> 
> C. He has revealed His Cause with constancy and fearlessness in spite of 
> the fact that it was contrary to the desires of the people in general. 230-231
> 
> D. He declares in His writings that He yearns for martyrdom in the path of 
> God. 231-232
> 
> E. His detachment from the world is so complete as to be impossible save 
> for a Prophet. 232
> 
> F. His steadfastness is a proof of His Message. 233-234
> 
> G. The ascendancy that He achieved, unaided, is another proof. 234-236
> 
> H. The repudiation and execration of the people are the mightiest proof of 
> the truth of the Prophet. 236
> 
> 1. "And when the Standard of Truth is made manifest, the people of 
> both the East and the West curse it" because they oppose the annulment of 
> rules and customs to which they have become habituated. 238
> 
> 2. Muhammadans, Jews and Christians will not heed the verses of the Holy 
> Books that point to a new Revelation. 239-240
> 3. The people do not recognize the signs of the new Revelation that have 
> already been fulfilled. 
> 
> a. Muhammadan writings refer to the fact that there will come One 
> who will transform religion and demolish what had been previously 
> established. 240
> b. Several passages in Muslim writings refer to the coming of a Youth from 
> Bani-Hashim (the family of Muhammad) with a new and divine Book. 241-242
> c. Sadiq, the son of Muhammad, declared the Revelation of the Qa'im would 
> excel all others, but the result of such a marvel is to arouse opposition. 244-
> 245
> d. Other traditions foretell the character of the Qa'im and the martyrdom 
> of His followers just as this took place, a prophecy that implies the changing 
> of religious laws, since without change there would not be opposition. 245-
> 247, 253, 254
> 
> 4. This situation will be repeated when the Lord of the Age appears at the 
> time of Mustaghath. 248
> 
> a. It is foreseen that persecutors will again rise, along with believers. 
> 248
> b. It is known that unbelievable malice, hate and envy will appear when the 
> new Message is revealed. 249
> 
> (1) Bahá'u'lláh states that people are leagued against Him. 249
> (2) In spite of love, forebearance, humility and charity, He has suffered 
> from enenies and even more from those that professed to be friends. 250
> 
> 
> c. During the two years that have elapsed since Bahá'u'lláh's return from 
> His voluntary retirement His enemies have ceaselessly tried to bring about 
> His death. 250-252
> 
> I. The Holy Manifestations speak a twofold language. 253-257
> 
> 1. The outward language has an unconcealed and evident meaning, to 
> guide the people. 253-255
> 
> 2. The inner language is veiled and concealed, a divine standard to test the 
> servants; it is not to be taken literally and is understood only by those who 
> have turned to God. 255
> 
> a. The people should seek enlightenment on traditions not yet literally 
> fulfilled from those who are the recognized Expounders of these utterances. 
> 256
> b. Instead of so doing, however, mankind fails to seek the guidance of the 
> Divine Manifestation, and the people will be forgotten by God, if they reject 
> His signs. 256-257
>
> — *Outline Study Guide of the Kitab-i-Iqan (Used by permission of the curator)*