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Gleanings — §96

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 96 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

قل إنّ الغيب لم يکن له من هيکل ليظهر به إنّه لم يزل کان مقدّسًا عمّا يذکر ويبصر إنّه لبالمنظر الأکبر ينطق إنّي أنا اللّه لا إله إلّا أنا العليم الحکيم قد أظهرت نفسي ومطلع آياتي وبه أنطقت کلّ شيء علی إنّه لا إله إلّا هو الفرد الواحد العليم الخبير إنّ الغيب يعرف بنفس الظّهور والظّهور بکينونته لبرهان الأعظم بين الأمم ...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Know thou of a certainty that the Unseen can in no wise incarnate His Essence and reveal it unto men. He is, and hath ever been, immensely exalted beyond all that can either be recounted or perceived. From His retreat of glory His voice is ever proclaiming: “Verily, I am God; there is none other God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I have manifested Myself unto men, and have sent down Him Who is the Dayspring of the signs of My Revelation. Through Him I have caused all creation to testify that there is none other God except Him, the Incomparable, the All-Informed, the All-Wise.” He Who is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men can never be known except through His Manifestation, and His Manifestation can adduce no greater proof of the truth of His Mission than the proof of His own Person.

Translation Notes

قل
q-w-l → “Know” Distinctive

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

إنّ
ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الغيب
gh-y-b → “Unseen”

literal: the unseen; the invisible; the hidden; the unknowable

لم
l-y-s → “not”

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

له
h-w → “His”

literal: for them both; to both of them (dual pronoun)

من
m-n

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

هيکل
h-y-k-l → “form”

literal: temple; structure; form; body

ليظهر
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

به
b-h → “reveal it unto”

literal: by it; by him; with it

إنّه
ʾ-n-n → “He”

literal: I, verily; behold I

يزل
z-w-l → “hath ever been”

literal: cease; to cease; decline

کان
k-w-n → “hath ever been”

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

مقدّسًا
q-d-s → “exalted”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

عمّا
ʿ-n → “from”

literal: with them; in their company

يذکر
dh-k-r → “recounted” Distinctive

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

ويبصر
b-ṣ-r → “eyes” Distinctive

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

لبالمنظر
n-ẓ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

الأکبر
k-b-r

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

ينطق
n-ṭ-q → “proclaiming” Distinctive

literal: to speak; to utter; to pronounce; to articulate

إنّي
ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: I, verily; behold I

اللّه
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

لا
l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

إله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

إلّا
ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

العليم
ʿ-l-m → “All-Knowing”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

الحکيم
ḥ-k-m → “All-Wise”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

قد
q-d → “We have been”

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

نفسي
n-f-s → “Myself”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

ومطلع
ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

آياتي
ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

literal: sign; verse; miracle; token; verses; signs; proofs

کلّ
k-l-l → “all”

literal: for us; to us

شيء
sh-y-ʾ → “creation” Distinctive

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

علی
ʿ-l-w → “that” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الفرد
f-r-d → “Incomparable”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

الواحد
w-ḥ-d

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

الخبير
kh-b-r → “the All-Informed”

literal: all-knowing; aware; well-informed; omniscient

يعرف
ʿ-r-f → “known” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

لبرهان
b-r-h-n → “proof”

literal: proof, evidence, demonstration, argument

الأعظم
ʿ-ẓ-m → “greater”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

بين
b-y-n

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

الأمم
ʾ-m-m

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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