Gleanings — §305

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 305 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

وأمّا ما سألت من العوالم فاعلم بأنّ للّه عوالم لا نهایة بما لا نهایة لها وما أحاط بها أحد إلّا نفسه العلیم الحکیم تفکّر في النّوم وإنّه آیة الأعظم بین النّاس لو یکوننّ من المتفکّرین مثلاً إنّک تری في نومک أمرًا في لیل وتجده بعینه بعد سنة أو سنتین أو أزید من ذلک أو أقلّ ولو یکون العالم الّذي أنت رأیت فیه ما رأیت هذا العالم الّذي تکون فیه فیلزم ما رأیت في نومک یکون موجودًا في هذا العالم في حین الّذي تراه في النّوم وتکون من الشّاهدین مع إنّک تری أمرًا لم یکن موجودًا في العالم ویظهر من بعد إِذًا حقّق بأنّ عالم الّذي أنت رأیت فیه ما رأیت یکون عالمًا آخَر الّذي لا له أوّل ولا آخِر وإنّک إن تقول هذا العالم في نفسک ومطويّ فیها بأمر من لدن عزیز قدیر لحقّ ولو تقول بأن الرّوح لمّا تجرّد عن العلایق في النّوم سیّره الله في عالم الّذي یکون مستورًا في سرّ هذا العالم لحقّ وإنّ للّه عالم بعد عالم وخلق بعد خلق وقدّر في کلّ عالم ما لا یحصیه أحد إلّا نفسه المحصي العلیم وإنّک فکّر فیما ألقیناک لتعرف مراد الله ربّک وربّ العالمین وفیه کنز أسرار الحکمة وإنّا ما فصّلناه لحزن الّذي أحاطني من الّذین خلقوا بقولي إن أنتم من السّامعین...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consider thy state when asleep. Verily, I say, this phenomenon is the most mysterious of the signs of God amongst men, were they to ponder it in their hearts. Behold how the thing which thou hast seen in thy dream is, after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had the world in which thou didst find thyself in thy dream been identical with the world in which thou livest, it would have been necessary for the event occurring in that dream to have transpired in this world at the very moment of its occurrence. Were it so, you yourself would have borne witness unto it. This being not the case, however, it must necessarily follow that the world in which thou livest is different and apart from that which thou hast experienced in thy dream. This latter world hath neither beginning nor end. It would be true if thou wert to contend that this same world is, as decreed by the All-Glorious and Almighty God, within thy proper self and is wrapped up within thee. It would equally be true to maintain that thy spirit, having transcended the limitations of sleep and having stripped itself of all earthly attachment, hath, by the act of God, been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained things which none can search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise. Do thou meditate on that which We have revealed unto thee, that thou mayest discover the purpose of God, thy Lord, and the Lord of all worlds. In these words the mysteries of Divine Wisdom have been treasured. We have refrained from dwelling upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath encompassed Us from the actions of them that have been created through Our words, if ye be of them that will hearken unto Our Voice.

Translation Notes

وأمّا

ʾ-m-m

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

سألت

s-ʾ-l

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

من

m-n

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

العوالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بأنّ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

للّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

نهایة

n-h-y

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

لها

l-h-w

literal: to it; towards it; unto it

بها

b-h-w

literal: by it; by him; with it

أحد

ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

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

نفسه

n-f-s → “thyself”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

تفکّر

f-k-r → “Consider thy” Distinctive

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

في

f-y → “in”

literal: alas; woe; oh

النّوم

n-w-m → “when asleep”

literal: to sleep; to slumber

وإنّه

h-w → “He”

literal: deviation; divergence; straying from the path; to be weak, to flag, to show reluctance

آیة

ʾ-y-y → “signs”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

الأعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “most mysterious” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

بین

b-y-n → “amongst men”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

النّاس

n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

لو

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

یکوننّ

k-w-n → “been” Distinctive

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

المتفکّرین

f-k-r

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

مثلاً

m-th-l → “as”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

إنّک

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تری

r-ʾ-y → “seen in” Distinctive

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

أمرًا

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

لیل

l-y-l

literal: night; darkness

وتجده

w-j-d → “being” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

بعینه

ʿ-y-n

literal: eye; fountain; spring; essence; to appoint; to designate; to specify; to determine

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

سنة

s-n-h

literal: year; way; tradition; custom

أو

h-w-w

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

أزید

z-y-d

literal: increase; excess; more; additional; to increase; to grow; to be added

ذلک

dh-l-k

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

أقلّ

q-l-l

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

الّذي

l-dh-y → “in which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

أنت

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

رأیت

r-ʾ-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

هذا

h-dh-ʾ → “this”

literal: this; that

فیلزم

l-z-m → “necessary”

literal: necessary, incumbent, obligatory, essential

حین

ḥ-y-n → “moment”

literal: time; moment; while; season

الشّاهدین

sh-h-d → “witness”

literal: witness; observation; witnessed

مع

m-ʿ

literal: with; together with; alongside

لم

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

ویظهر

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

إِذًا

ʾ-dh-n

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

حقّق

ḥ-q-q

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

آخَر

ʾ-kh-r → “world” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

أوّل

ʾ-w-l

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

ولا

w-l-y

literal: friend; lord; guardian

وإنّک

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

إن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تقول

q-w-l → “Say”

literal: to say; to speak; saying

ومطويّ

ṭ-w-y → “shall be folded up” Distinctive

literal: fold; folded; the letter Ṭá

بأمر

ʾ-m-r → “as decreed” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

لدن

l-d-n → “by”

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

عزیز

ʿ-z-z → “All-Glorious”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

قدیر

q-d-r → “Almighty God”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

الرّوح

r-w-ḥ → “thy spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

لمّا

l-m-ʾ

literal: when; certainly-not; when, since

تجرّد

j-r-d → “detachment” Distinctive

literal: abstraction; abstract; detached

عن

ʿ-n

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

العلایق

ʿ-l-q → “dependent” Distinctive

literal: suspended; attachment; hang

سیّره

s-y-r → “journeying” Distinctive

literal: captive; prisoner; captivity; to journey; to move; course

مستورًا

s-t-r

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

سرّ

s-r-r → “innermost reality” Distinctive

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

وخلق

kh-l-q → “creation”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

کلّ

k-l-l → “each” Distinctive

literal: for us; to us

یحصیه

ḥ-ṣ-y → “reckon”

literal: count; enumerate; enumeration

ألقیناک

l-q-y → “Presence” Distinctive

literal: suggestion; instilling; casting; throwing

لتعرف

ʿ-r-f → “discover”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

مراد

r-w-d → “purpose”

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

ربّک

r-b-b → “thy Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

کنز

k-n-z → “treasured” Distinctive

literal: treasure; treasure-trove; hidden store; treasury

الحکمة

ḥ-k-m → “Divine Wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

فصّلناه

f-ṣ-l → “separated” Distinctive

literal: detail; distinction; differentiation; to detail; to separate

لحزن

ḥ-z-n → “sorrow”

literal: sorrow; grief; sadness; anguish; to grieve; to sorrow; to be sad

أحاطني

ḥ-w-ṭ → “encompassed Us”

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

أنتم

n-t-m → “you”

literal: you

السّامعین...

s-m-ʿ → “hearken unto Our Voice”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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 ¶