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Gleanings — §384

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 384 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

انشآء الله ببصر حدید در جمیع اشیاء آیهٴ تجلّی سلطان قدم مشاهده نمائی و آن ذات اطهر اقدس را از کلّ مقدّس و مبرّا بینی این است اصل توحید و جوهر تفرید کان الله و لم یکن معه من شیء و الآن یکون بمثل ما قد کان لا اله الّا هو الفرد الواحد المقتدر العلیّ العظیم

Shoghi Effendi Translation

God grant that, with a penetrating vision, thou mayest perceive, in all things, the sign of the revelation of Him Who is the Ancient King, and recognize how exalted and sanctified from the whole creation is that most holy and sacred Being. This, in truth, is the very root and essence of belief in the unity and singleness of God. “God was alone; there was none else besides Him.” He, now, is what He hath ever been. There is none other God but Him, the One, the Incomparable, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

Translation Notes

انشآء
sh-y-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

literal: creation; bringing into existence; establishment; God willing; if God wishes; please God

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

ببصر
b-ṣ-r → “with a penetrating vision” Distinctive

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

حدید
ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

جمیع
j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اشیاء
sh-y-ʾ → “things”

literal: creation; bringing into existence; establishment; God willing; if God wishes; please God

آیهٴ
ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

literal: sign; signs; verse

تجلّی
j-l-w → “revelation”

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

سلطان
s-l-ṭ → “King”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

قدم
q-d-m → “Ancient”

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

مشاهده
sh-h-d → “perceive”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نمائی
n-m-ʾ → “may”

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

آن
ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ذات
dh-w-t → “Being” Distinctive

literal: essence; self; being

اطهر
ṭ-h-r → “pure” Distinctive

literal: to purify; to cleanse

اقدس
q-d-s → “and sacred” Distinctive

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

کلّ
k-l-l → “whole creation” Distinctive

literal: for us; to us

مبرّا
b-r-ʾ → “Thy people”

literal: to create; to create anew; to be free from; innocent; free from; clear of; to cure; to heal; to clear

بینی
b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

این
ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

است
b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

اصل
ʾ-ṣ-l → “essence”

literal: evening; afternoon; noble; ancient; nightfall; genesis

توحید
w-ḥ-d → “unity”

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

جوهر
j-w-h-r → “essence”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

تفرید
f-r-d → “singleness”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

کان
k-w-n → ““God was”

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

لم
l-y-s → “not”

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

معه
m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: معه = مع + ه (with him), preposition, not from root ع-م-م

من
m-n

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

الآن
ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; indeed/verily; indeed

بمثل
m-th-l → “what” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

ما
m-ʾ → “that”

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

قد
q-d → “We have been”

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

لا
l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

اله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

الّا
ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

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

هو
h-w → “is”

literal: He; He is

المقتدر
q-d-r → “Almighty”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

العلیّ
ʿ-l-w → “Most Exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

العظیم
ʿ-ẓ-m → “Most Great”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

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