Gleanings — §50

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 50 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ُ وَآثَارُهَا، قَدْ أَخَذَ الْفَنَاءُ مَنْ فِي الإِنْشَاءِ وَهَذَا وَجْهِيَ الْبَاقِي الْمُشِرِقُ الْمُنِيرُ، هَذَا يَوْمٌ لا يُرَى فِيهِ إِلاَّ الأَنْوَارُ الَّتِي أَشْرَقَتْ وَلاحَتْ مِنْ أُفُقِ وَجْهِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْكَرِيمِ، قَدْ قَبَضْنَا الأَرْواحَ بِسُلْطَانِ الْقُدْرَةِ وَالاقْتِدَارِ، وَشَرَعْنَا فِي خَلْقٍ بَدِيعٍ فَضْلاً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا وَأَنَا الْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendors of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful. Verily, We have caused every soul to expire by virtue of Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty. We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Translation Notes

وَآثَارُهَا،

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

قَدْ

q-d → “We have been”

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

أَخَذَ

ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

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

الْفَنَاءُ

f-n-y → “shall perish” Distinctive

literal: annihilation; perishing; extinction; cessation; the threshold

مَنْ

m-n → “from”

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

فِي

f-y

literal: alas; woe; oh

الإِنْشَاءِ

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

وَهَذَا

h-dh-ʾ → “This is”

literal: this; that

وَجْهِيَ

w-j-h → “face”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

الْبَاقِي

b-q-y → “eternal”

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

الْمُنِيرُ،

n-w-r → “Light” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination

يَوْمٌ

y-w-m → “whereon” Distinctive

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يُرَى

r-ʾ-y → “can be seen” Distinctive

literal: ability; capability; capacity

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

الَّتِي

ʾ-l-l → “that” Distinctive

literal: who; which/that; which

أَشْرَقَتْ

sh-r-q → “shineth”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

وَلاحَتْ

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

أُفُقِ

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

رَبِّكَ

r-b-b → “of Thy Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

الْعَزِيزِ

ʿ-z-z → “the Gracious” Distinctive

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

الْكَرِيمِ،

k-r-m → “the Most Bountiful”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

قَبَضْنَا

literal: grasp; grip; control; seize

الأَرْواحَ

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

بِسُلْطَانِ

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

الْقُدْرَةِ

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

وَشَرَعْنَا

sh-r-ʿ → “Law” Distinctive

literal: law; legislation; religious law; canon; ordinance

خَلْقٍ

kh-l-q → “new creation”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

بَدِيعٍ

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

فَضْلاً

f-ḍ-l → “as a token of” Distinctive

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

عِنْدِنَا

ʿ-n-d → “Our grace unto men”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

وَأَنَا

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: I; ego; self; myself

الْ

ʾ-w-l → “this world” Distinctive

literal: first; beginning; family

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