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Gleanings — §181

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 181 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

عرفان ممنوع نشوید بعضی از امرا و آحاد ناس اعتراض نموده‌اند که این مظلوم از علما و سادات نبوده بگو ای اهل انصاف اگر فی‌الجمله تفکّر نمائید صدهزار بار این مقام را اعظم شمرید و اکبر دانید قد أظهر الله أمره من بیت ما کان فیه ما عند العلمآء و الفقهآء

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Certain ones among both commoners and nobles have objected that this wronged One is neither a member of the ecclesiastical order nor a descendant of the Prophet. Say: O ye that claim to be just! Reflect a little while, and ye shall recognize how infinitely exalted is His present state above the station ye claim He should possess. The Will of the Almighty hath decreed that out of a house wholly devoid of all that the divines, the doctors, the sages, and scholars commonly possess His Cause should proceed and be made manifest.

Translation Notes

عرفان
ʿ-r-f

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

ممنوع
m-n-ʿ

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

نشوید
sh-w-d

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

بعضی
b-ʿ-ḍ → “Certain”

literal: part; some; portion

از
ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

امرا
ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

آحاد
ʾ-ḥ-d → “commoners”

literal: one; anyone; oneness

ناس
n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

اعتراض
ʿ-r-ḍ → “have objected” Distinctive

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

نموده‌اند
n-m-w → “have objected”

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

این
ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

مظلوم
ẓ-l-m → “wronged One”

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

علما
ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

سادات
s-w-d → “my Master” Distinctive

literal: master; lord; chief; my master

نبوده
b-w-d → “is” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

بگو
g-w-y → “Say”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

ای
ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

اهل
ʾ-h-l → “ye that” Distinctive

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

انصاف
n-ṣ-f → “equity”

literal: justice; fairness; equity

اگر
ʾ-g-r

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

فی‌الجمله
j-m-l → “Beauty” Distinctive

literal: beauty; totality; beautiful

تفکّر
f-k-r → “Reflect” Distinctive

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

نمائید
n-m-ʾ → “Reflect” Distinctive

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

بار
b-ʾ-r

literal: well; cistern; pit

مقام
q-w-m → “state above the station”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اعظم
ʿ-ẓ-m → “exalted” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

شمرید
sh-m-r → “regard” Distinctive

literal: to count; to regard; to esteem; to consider

اکبر
k-b-r

literal: liver; soul; essence

دانید
d-ʾ-n-s

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

قد
q-d → “We have been”

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

أظهر
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

أمره
ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

من
m-n → “from”

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

بیت
b-y-t → “house”

literal: house; household; family; verse

ما
m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

کان
k-w-n

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

فیه
f-y → “of” Distinctive

literal: alas; woe; oh

عند
ʿ-n-d → “possess” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

الفقهآء
f-q-h → “doctors”

literal: to understand; to comprehend; insight; jurisprudence

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