Skip to main content

Gleanings — §95

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 95 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ت عاليه و اسمای غير متناهيه انبيا و اوليای او هستند خواه بعضی از اين صفات در آن هياکل نوريّه بر حسب ظاهر ظاهر شود و خواه نشود نه اينست که اگر صفتی بر حسب ظاهر از آن ارواح مجرّده ظاهر نشود نفی آن صفت از آن محالّ صفات الهيّه و معادن اسمآء ربوبيّه شود لهذا بر همه اين وجودات منيره و طلعات بديعه حکم جميع صفات اللّه از سلطنت و عظمت و امثال آن جاری است اگر چه بر حسب ظاهر بسلطنت ظاهره و غير آن ظاهر نشوند ...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

It hath, therefore, become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion, and the like, even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all earthly majesty.…

Translation Notes

عاليه
ʿ-l-w → “exalted attributes”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

اسمای
s-m-w → “His infinite names”

literal: name

غير
gh-y-r → “other”

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

انبيا
n-b-ʾ → “these Prophets” Distinctive

literal: prophet; prophets

اوليای
w-l-y → “chosen Ones of God”

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

او
h-w-w

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

هستند
h-s-t → “are”

literal: to be; to exist

خواه
kh-w-h → “will” Distinctive

literal: will; to wish; to want

بعضی
b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

از
ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

اين
ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

صفات
w-ṣ-f → “attributes”

literal: attribute; quality; characteristic

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

آن
ʾ-n → “these”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

هياکل
h-y-k-l → “luminous Temples” Distinctive

literal: temple; body; edifice; structure

نوريّه
n-w-r → “light of”

literal: light; illumination

بر
b-r-r → “with” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

حسب
ḥ-s-b

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

ظاهر
ẓ-h-r → “outwardly” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

نشود
sh-w-d → “not be” Distinctive

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

نه
n-h-y → “That a” Distinctive

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

که
k-h → “that they who”

literal: that; who; who, that

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

ارواح
r-w-ḥ → “Essences”

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

مجرّده
j-r-d → “of Detachment”

literal: neck; throat

نفی
n-f-y → “denial”

literal: is not; not to be; does not exist; negation, denial, banishment; to negate, deny, banish; contradiction; opposition; contrariety

محالّ
ḥ-l-l → “place” Distinctive

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

الهيّه
ʾ-l-h → “God’s”

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

معادن
ʿ-d-n → “Treasuries”

literal: mine; source; origin; repository

ربوبيّه
r-b-b

literal: divine; of God; lordly

لهذا
l-dh-ʾ → “Therefore”

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

همه
h-m-h → “each and every one”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

وجودات
w-j-d → “illuminated Souls”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

طلعات
ṭ-l-ʿ → “these beauteous Countenances”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

بديعه
b-d-ʿ

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

حکم
ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

جميع
j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

سلطنت
s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

عظمت
ʿ-ẓ-m → “majesty.…”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

امثال
m-th-l → “like”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

جاری
j-r-y

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

است
b-w-d → “have” Distinctive

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

چه
ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

نشوند
sh-d → “been” Distinctive

literal: become; to become; became

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 ¶