Prayers and Meditations — §124

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 124 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ، أَيْ رَبِّ عَرِّفْهُمْ عَظَمَةَ أَمْرِكَ لِئَلاَّ يَشْتَبِهَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَلْطَنَتُكَ وَاقْتِدارُكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ يا مَحْبُوبَ العالَمِينَ لَوْ عَرَفُوا ما تَكَلَّمُوا بِما لا قَدَّرْتَ لَهُمْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Uncover before them, O my Lord, the majesty of Thy Cause, lest they be led to doubt Thy sovereignty and the power of Thy might. I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds! Had they been aware of Thy power they would of a certainty have refused to utter what Thou didst not ordain for them in the heaven of Thy will.

Translation Notes

لا

l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

إِلهَ

ʾ-l-h

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

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r

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

أَنَا

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الحَكِيمُ،

ḥ-k-m

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

عَرِّفْهُمْ

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

عَظَمَةَ

ʿ-ẓ-m → “majesty”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

أَمْرِكَ

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

لِئَلاَّ

l-y-l → “night”

literal: night; darkness

يَشْتَبِهَ

sh-b-h → “led to doubt”

literal: doubts; resemblance; likeness

عَلَيْهِمْ

ʿ-l-y → “them” Distinctive

literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon

سَلْطَنَتُكَ

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

وَاقْتِدارُكَ،

q-d-r → “power of Thy might”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

فَوَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z → “I swear by Thy glory”

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

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

مَحْبُوبَ

ḥ-b-b → “Beloved”

literal: love; affection

العالَمِينَ

ʿ-l-m → “worlds”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

لَوْ

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

تَكَلَّمُوا

k-l-m → “utter”

literal: words; utterances; locutions

لَهُمْ

l-h-m → “inspiration” Distinctive

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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Gleanings

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729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

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16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

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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 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

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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

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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

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57 ¶

The Hidden Words

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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 ¶