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Gleanings — §385

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 385 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

وأمّا ما ذکرت في الإلهین إیّاک إیّاک أن لا تشرک بالله ربّک لم تزل کان واحدًا أحدًا فردًا صمدًا وترًا باقیًا دائمًا قیّومًا ما اتّخذ لنفسه شریکًا في الملک ولا وزیرًا ولا شبیهًا ولا نسبةً ولا مثالاً ویشهد بذلک کلّ الذّرّات وعن ورائها الّذینهم کانوا في الأفق الأبهی علی منظر الأعلی وکانت أسمائهم حینئذ لدی العرش مذکورًا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And now concerning thy reference to the existence of two Gods. Beware, beware, lest thou be led to join partners with the Lord, thy God. He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting. He hath assigned no associate unto Himself in His Kingdom, no counselor to counsel Him, none to compare unto Him, none to rival His glory. To this every atom of the universe beareth witness, and beyond it the inmates of the realms on high, they that occupy the most exalted seats, and whose names are remembered before the Throne of Glory.

Translation Notes

وأمّا
ʾ-m-m → “nations” Distinctive

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

ذکرت
dh-k-r → “reference”

literal: remembrance; mention; memory

في
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

الإلهین
ʾ-l-h → “two Gods”

literal: God; god; divine

إیّاک
ʾ-y-y → “Beware”

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

أن
ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

لا
l-ʾ → “no”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تشرک
sh-r-k → “join partners”

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

بالله
ʾ-l-h → “with the Lord, thy God”

literal: God; god; divine

ربّک
r-b-b

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

لم
l-y-s → “from” Distinctive

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

تزل
z-w-l → “everlasting”

literal: for us; to us

کان
k-w-n → “is, and hath”

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

واحدًا
w-ḥ-d → “one”

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

أحدًا
ʾ-ḥ-d → “alone”

literal: one; anyone; oneness

فردًا
f-r-d → “Thy oneness” Distinctive

literal: will; desire; intention; volition

صمدًا
ṣ-m-d → “eternal” Distinctive

literal: eternal, self-sufficient, divine, the Eternal

وترًا
w-t-r

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

باقیًا
b-q-y → “ever-abiding” Distinctive

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

دائمًا
d-w-m

literal: always; continually; perpetually; constantly

قیّومًا
q-w-m → “self-subsisting”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

اتّخذ
ʾ-kh-dh

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

لنفسه
n-f-s → “unto Himself”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

الملک
m-l-k → “His Kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty

ولا
w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: no; not; negation particle

وزیرًا
w-z-r

literal: minister; vizier

شبیهًا
sh-b-h

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

نسبةً
n-s-b

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

مثالاً
m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

ویشهد
sh-h-d → “beareth witness”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

بذلک
dh-l-k → “To this”

literal: that; this; it; by that

کلّ
k-l-l → “every”

literal: all; every; all, every

الذّرّات
dh-r-r → “atom”

literal: self; essence; being

وعن
ʿ-n

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

ورائها
w-r-ʾ → “them”

literal: mankind; people; human beings; behind; after

الّذینهم
l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

الأفق
ʾ-f-q → “the realms” Distinctive

literal: horizons; regions; quarters; skylines

الأبهی
b-h-w → “Glory” Distinctive

literal: splendor; glory; magnificence; Bahá (Proper Name in Bahá’í texts)

علی
ʿ-l-w → “on high” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

منظر
n-ẓ-r

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

أسمائهم
s-m-w → “names”

literal: name

حینئذ
ḥ-y-n

literal: time; moment; while; season

لدی
l-d-y → “before”

literal: with; in the presence of; from; by

العرش
ʿ-r-sh → “the Throne”

literal: of the Throne; companion of the Throne

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