As for the story of Lot and his daughters and the apostasy of some of the prophets recorded in the Torah and the Psalms, these confused dreams are the words of historians among the People of the Book for which God has revealed no authority. Know, then, that the Torah is only what was revealed in the tablets to Moses (peace be upon him) and what he was commanded to observe. As for the stories, this is a historical matter. They were written after Moses (peace be upon him) and the proof is that the final book records and reports on events that happened after Moses. This is clear, unassailable evidence that the stories were written after Moses (peace be upon him). Those words, which are stories and tales, are not dependable. God revealed no authority for them because that noble Book and grand oration consists of the tablets that Moses came down the mountain with and the words he addressed to the tribe of Israel in a conclusive text of laws. Therefore, do not be scandalized by the stories that issued from the pens of the historians who came after Moses because they are not the verses clearly set down in the scriptures and tablets.
`Abdu’l-Baha to Yusuf Bek Khusafi, excerpted by Ishraq Khavari, Muhadarat, 1:342.
Thanks Will. This Tablet is also published in vol. 3 of Makatib where the text is a bit clearere:
http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/ab/MA3/ma3-170.ht…
Notice that is reads "aw mA umira bihi" – "or that which was commanded unto Him". You may want to change this in your translation.
I liked the way you translated "lA tastaghribU" as "do not be scandalized" – great translation. Keep them coming.
Thanks Amal. You are right and I’ve made the change.
Matt, those are great questions. I leave it to you and others more capable than I to do the deeper interpretive and comparative work.
Wow Will, I've often pondered this exact thing for years. It is such a relief to read this finally. My wife Lacey asked your father for a copy of the prayer I'm supposing you translated for Gavin's passing and he gave a link to your site. I'm very happy to have found this site. Thank you for your provisional work!