Gleanings — §386

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 386 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

أن اشهد في نفسک بما شهد الله لذاته بذاته بأنّه لا إله إلّا هو وإنّ ما سواه مخلوق بأمره ومنجعل بإذنه ومحکوم بحکمه ومفقود عند شؤونات عزّ فردانیّته ومعدوم لدی ظهورات عزّ وحدانیّته

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Bear thou witness in thine inmost heart unto this testimony which God hath Himself and for Himself pronounced, that there is none other God but Him, that all else besides Him have been created by His behest, have been fashioned by His leave, are subject to His law, are as a thing forgotten when compared to the glorious evidences of His oneness, and are as nothing when brought face to face with the mighty revelations of His unity.

Translation Notes

أن

ʾ-n → “that there is”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اشهد

sh-h-d → “Bear thou witness” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

في

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

نفسک

n-f-s → “thine inmost heart” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

بما

m-ʾ → “that” Distinctive

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

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

لذاته

dh-w-t → “for Himself”

literal: essence; self; being

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

إله

ʾ-l-h → “other God”

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

إلّا

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

وإنّ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; indeed/verily; indeed

سواه

s-w-y → “besides Him”

literal: other than; other-than; besides

مخلوق

kh-l-q → “been created”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

بأمره

ʾ-m-r → “by His behest” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

ومنجعل

j-ʿ-l → “been fashioned”

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

بإذنه

ʾ-dh-n → “by His leave”

literal: ear; permission; leave; to permit; to allow

ومحکوم

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

ومفقود

f-q-d → “are as a thing forgotten”

literal: to lose; to miss; lost; missing

عند

ʿ-n-d → “when compared to” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

شؤونات

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise” Distinctive

literal: manner; affair; state

عزّ

ʿ-z-z

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

فردانیّته

f-r-d → “of His oneness”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

ومعدوم

ʿ-d-m → “are as nothing” Distinctive

literal: nonexistent; void; nullified

لدی

l-d-y → “at”

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

ظهورات

ẓ-h-r → “mighty revelations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

وحدانیّته

w-ḥ-d → “of His unity”

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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