Skip to main content

Gleanings — §103

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 103 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

باری معلوم بوده و خواهد بود که جميع اين اختلافات کلمات از اختلافات مقاماتست اينست که در مقام توحيد و علوّ تجريد اطلاق ربوبيّت و الوهيّت و احديّت صرفه و هُويّه بحته بر آن جواهر وجود شده و ميشود زيرا که جميع بر عرش ظهور اللّه ساکنند و بر کرسی بطون اللّه واقف يعنی ظهور اللّه بظهورشان ظاهر و جمال اللّه از جمالشان باهر چنانچه نغمات ربوبيّه از اين هياکل احديّه ظاهر شد و در مقام ثانی

Shoghi Effendi Translation

It hath ever been evident that all these divergencies of utterance are attributable to differences of station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been, and are applicable to those Essences of Being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of Divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of Divine Concealment. Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being.

Translation Notes

باری

literal: well; cistern; pit

معلوم

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بوده

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

خواهد

literal: will; to wish; to want

که

literal: that; who; who, that

جميع

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اين

literal: this; these

اختلافات

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

کلمات

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

از

literal: from

مقاماتست

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

اينست

literal: is; be; are

در

literal: in; in, at; radiant

توحيد
w-ḥ-d “oneness” Distinctive

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

علوّ

literal: highest; most high; supreme

تجريد

literal: neck; throat

اطلاق

literal: divorce; release; freeing

ربوبيّت

literal: divine; of God; lordly

الوهيّت

literal: to preserve, guard, protect

احديّت
ʾ-ḥ-d “none” Distinctive

literal: oneness; uniqueness; absolute unity; singularity of God

صرفه
ṣ-r-f “treatment” Distinctive

literal: pure; absolute; to turn away; to expend

هُويّه
h-w-y “Essence” Distinctive

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

بحته

literal: mere; pure; absolute; sheer

بر

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آن

literal: that; those; he; she; it

جواهر

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

وجود

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

شده

literal: to become; to be

ميشود

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

زيرا

literal: because; since; for; inasmuch as

عرش

literal: of the Throne; companion of the Throne

ظهور

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

ساکنند
s-k-n “abide” Distinctive

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

کرسی

literal: throne, seat; chair

بطون

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

واقف

literal: to stop; to halt; to pause; to hesitate

يعنی

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

جمال

literal: beauty; comeliness

باهر

literal: portion, share; for the sake of; spring (season)

چنانچه

literal: thus; in such manner; as

نغمات

literal: melody; tone; note

هياکل
h-y-k-l “form” Distinctive

literal: temple; body; edifice; structure

ثانی

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet cover

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán cover

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶