Qā’im
and al-Qayyūm:
Theophany and chronological prophecy in a Tablet of Bahā'Allāh
In progress 2006-7
In one of his Persian Tablets Bahā’-Allāh responds to a question about the difference
between al-Qā’im and al-Qayyūm. Portion of this Tablet are cited in Ishraq Khavari (ed.) Mā'idih-yi asmani 4:174
and Fadil-i Mazandarani, Athar 4:530-1 but printed in
full in
Iqtidarāt wa chand lawḥ-i dīgār ḥaḍrat-i Bahā’-Allāh (Magnificenes
and select other Tablets of of His Holiness Bahā’-Allāh) which was
printed about 8 months after the passing of Bahā’-Allāh in 1892 CE
on the 13th Rajab 1310 which corresponds to the January
31st 1893.
The
text is found on pages
ADD TEXT
Baha'-Allah
explains the words Qā’im and Qayyūm in numerological
terms relative to the time of his advent after the Bāb's declaration
in 1260/1844.
"As for what thou hast asked about the difference
between al‑Qā’im and al‑qayyum. Know that the
difference between these two names is just as thou observe between
al‑a`ẓam
("the most great") and al‑`aẓīm
("the great"). And this is what My Beloved One [the Bāb] indicated
aforetime. We have mentioned this in the Kitāb-i badī`
and naught was intended by this except that the people would be
informed of the fact that He [the promised one] to be made manifest
is to be one greater (a`ẓam)
than what hath [previously] appeared (ẓahara)
[as the religion of the Bab or the Bāb]. And He, the Qayyūm, is superior to the Qā’im.
This is assuredly the Truth unto which testifieth the Tongue of the
All‑Merciful in the heaven of the Bayān (jabarut al‑bayān).
Know! then be capable of being detatched through Him from all the
worlds.
Wherefore doth the Qā’im call out from the
right-side of the heavenly Throne and proclaim:
`O Concourse of the Bayān! By God! This is assuredly the Qayyūm. He
hath come unto you with manifest sovereignty. And this is assuredly
that "Most Great One" (al-a`ẓam) before whose Countenance (Face
wajh) eveyone most great (a`ẓam)
and great (`aẓīm)
prostrates. Then appropriate not the Greatest Name (al-ism al-a`ẓam)
lest ye manifest arrogance before the Manifestations of His
Sovereignty (ẓuhūrāt
sulṭānihi).
And never attempt to gain ascendency over the Qayyūm save for the
sake of his abnegation (li-fanā'ihi) in His Court....
Say: `O People (qawm)! This is assuredly the Qayyūm. He,
verily, is situated beneath your COMPLETE
So know thou that the numerical difference [between al-Qā’im
and al‑Qayyūm] is 14, and this amounts to the number of al‑bahā' (=
14) when the hamza
( ء
)
is reckoned as six (B =2 + H = 5 + A = 1 +
' = 6 Total = 14) for its form (shakl) is that of a six
( ء
) in the alphabetical mode (qā'idat al‑hindisa[t]).
And if thou recite "al‑Qā’im" and find that the difference (from
Qayyūm) is five (5) then this indicates [the letter] al‑hā' (abjad =
5) within [the word] al‑Bahā'. And relative to this station (maqām,
or `in this manner') does al‑Qayyūm rise up upon the Throne of His
name al‑Qā’im just as the letter hā' (= 5) riseth
up above [the letter] wāw (= 6).
And on one [another] level (maqām)
the [letter] hamza of Qā’im amounts to six (6)
according to the alphabetical computation (hisāb al‑hindisa[t].)
it yields the difference which is nine (9). And furthermore, it is
this Name (= bahā' = abjad 9 or 14). And through this six [nine]
(cf. AA 4:531 al-tis`a) He -- exalted be His sovereignty ‑‑
intended the theophany of the nine (ẓuhūr
al‑tis`ah).
On this level thou shalt see no difference in the appearance of the
two names (ẓāhir
al‑ismayn
= Qā’im and Qayyūm)..
By My Life! This difference is a sign of My
Greatness for such as do circumambulate the heaven of Bahā' ! This
do We demonstrate for thee in concrete (ẓāhir)
terms. The inward reality (bāṭin) of the significance of His
position as the Qayyūm is is that the name al-Qayyūm surpasseth
Qā’im in being more elevated (a`raf) though counted among the
maintainers (al-Xāfixīn)??
....
CORRECT AND COMPLETE THIS
....[Persian] Know thou that the intention of the Primal
Point regarding the [numerical] difference between al-Qā’im and al-Qayyūm
and [between] A`ẓam and `Aẓ)īm was the Grandeur (`most-greatness'ṭa`ẓamiyyat)
of the forthcoming theophany (ẓuhūr-i ba`d). Regarding the greatness (`aẓīm)
and the position of the Qayyūm (qayyūmiyyat) of the
eschatological [latter] theophany (ẓuhūr-i
ākhir)
above the Qā’im and the difference between the "most great" (a`ẓ
am)
and the "great" (`aẓīm)
it relates to the number of the theophany which is nine... And this
Grandeur (a`ẓamiyyat)
and Qayyūm-hood (qayyūmiyyat) is manifest and evident in this
theophany (ẓuhūr) and whatsoever was made manifest on His part. For
example, the intention of Qayyūm is the theophany of nine (ẓuhūr-i
tis`ah) and He is made manifest with the name of Bahā'. And the
magnitude of that Grandeur (a`ẓamiyyat)
is evidenced by the letters (ḥurūf). On one level the hamza
of Bahā' is calculated as six and that of Qā’im as one. So ponder
ye upon this for such as signs for the mystic knowers (al-`arifīn)."
(Mā'idih 4:174).
____________________________________________________________________________________
In this passage Bahā’-Allāh seems to be saying that the
Bāb's references to the difference between al-Qā’im and
al-qayyūm ultimately indicate the number nine which has
messianic and chronological import. It indicates his personal
theophany as Bahā' the abjad numerical value of which is nine. It
was also in the year nine (1269/1852-3) that his call took
place or the messianic kull al-khayr ("all good") was
realized. The abjad value of Qā’im is 142
(hamza
= 1) but counting hamza as 6 it is 147 (Q = 100 + A=1 + ' =
1 [6] + M = 40> total = 142 or 147]) which is numerically 14 or 9
less than that of qayyūm (Q = 100+Y= 10+W =6+ M=40> total=
156). Hamza is normally alocated an abjad value of one
but as it resembles one of the shapes of the number six it may be
taken as abjad numerical value six.
Difference = 5
Q=100 + A=1 +
ء
=
1 +Y= 10 + M=40 Total = 151.
Difference= 9 Q=100 + A=1 +
ء
' =1 +M=40 Total = 147
Difference = 0 Q= 100+ y=10+ ' =6 +M=40 Total= 156
BAHA'U'LLAH baha'u'llah Bahá'u'lláh
Baha'-Allah Bahá
