Gleanings — §691

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 691 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

إنّ أوّل ما كتب الله على العباد عرفان مشرق وحيه ومطلع أمره الّذي كان مقام نفسه في عالم الأمر والخلق من فاز به قد فاز بكلّ الخير والّذي منع إنّه من أهل الضّلال ولو يأتي بكلّ الأعمال إذا فزتم بهذا المقام الأسنى والأفق الأعلى ينبغي لكلّ نفس أن يتّبع ما أمر به من لدى المقصود لأنّهما معًا لا يُقبل أحدهما دون الآخر هذا ما حكم به مطلع الإلهام

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof, hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behooveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.

Translation Notes

إنّ

ʾ-n → “is” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أوّل

ʾ-w-l → “first”

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

كتب

k-t-b → “prescribed” Distinctive

literal: book; scripture; writing

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

على

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

العباد

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

عرفان

ʿ-r-f → “recognition” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

مشرق

sh-r-q → “Dayspring”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

وحيه

w-ḥ-y → “Revelation”

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

ومطلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Fountain” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

أمره

ʾ-m-r → “laws” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

الّذي

l-dh-y → “which”

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

كان

k-w-n → “be”

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

مقام

q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

نفسه

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

في

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

والخلق

kh-l-q → “creation”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

من

m-n → “Whoso” Distinctive

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

فاز

f-w-z → “achieveth” Distinctive

literal: to attain; to gain; to succeed; to win

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

قد

q-d → “We have been”

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

بكلّ

k-l-l → “unto all”

literal: all; every; whole; entirety; entire; completely

الخير

kh-y-r → “good”

literal: goodwill; benevolence; kindness; good; goodness; benefit; better; best

والّذي

dh-w-y → “and” Distinctive

literal: who; which; that which

منع

m-n-ʿ → “deprived” Distinctive

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

إنّه

ʾ-n-n → “he”

literal: I, verily; behold I

أهل

ʾ-h-l

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

الضّلال

ḍ-l-l → “astray” Distinctive

literal: error; straying; misguidance; delusion; falsehood

ولو

l-w → “If”

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

يأتي

ʾ-t-y → “come”

literal: to come; to arrive; to approach; verse; sign; miracle

الأعمال

ʿ-m-l → “deed”

literal: to work; to act; to do; to perform

إذا

ʾ-dh-n

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

بهذا

h-dh-ʾ → “this”

literal: this; that

الأسنى

s-n-w → “most sublime”

literal: most beautiful; finest; highest

والأفق

ʾ-f-q → “horizon”

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

ينبغي

n-b-gh → “behooveth”

literal: it is proper; it is fitting; it is necessary; it behooves

يتّبع

t-b-ʿ → “observe”

literal: follow; following; to follow

أمر

ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

لدى

l-d-y

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

المقصود

q-ṣ-d → “Desire”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

لأنّهما

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: I, verily; behold I

معًا

m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: with; with/notwithstanding; with-me

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يُقبل

q-b-l → “acceptable”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

أحدهما

ʾ-ḥ-d

literal: one; anyone; oneness

دون

d-w-n → “without”

literal: below; lower than; beneath

الآخر

ʾ-kh-r → “next”

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

حكم

ḥ-k-m → “decreed” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

الإلهام

l-h-m → “Divine inspiration”

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

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 ¶