Prayers and Meditations — §24
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 24 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
وَإِنَّ دَمِي يُخاطِبُنِي فِيْ كُلِّ الأَحْيانِ وَيَقُولُ يا طَلْعَةَ الرَّحْمنِ إِلى مَتى حَبَسْتَنِي فِيْ حِصْنِ الأَكْوانِ وَسِجْنِ الإِمْكانِ بَعْدَ الَّذِيْ وَعَدْتَنِي بِأَنْ تَحْمَرَّ الأَرْضُ مِنِّي وَتُصْبَغَ وُجُوهُ أَهْلِ مَلإِ الفِرْدَوْسِ مِنْ رَشَحاتِي، وَأَنَا أَقُولُ أَنِ اصْبِرْ ثُمَّ اسْكُنْ لأنَّ ما تُرِيدُ يَظْهَرُ فِيْ سَاعَةٍ، وَيَتِمُّ فِيْ سَاعَةٍ أُخْرى، وَلكِنْ ما أَنَا عَلَيْهِ فِيْ سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لأَشْرَبَ فِيْ كُلِّ حِينٍ كَأْسَ القَضَاءِ وَلا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَطِعَ القَضَاءُ وَالبَلاءُ فِيْ سَبِيلِ رَبِّيَ العَلِيِّ الأَبْهی، وَإِنَّكَ أَرِدْ ما أُرِيدُ، وَلا تُرِدْ ما تُرِيدُ، ما حَبَسْتُكَ لِحِفْظِي بَلْ لِقَضاءٍ بَعْدَ قَضَاءٍ وَبَلاءٍ بَعْدَ بَلاءٍ، قَدِ انْعَدَمَ حَبِيبٌ يُمَيِّزُ بَيْنَ الشَّهْدِ وَالسَّمِّ فِيْ حُبِّ مَحْبُوبِهِ، كُنْ راضِيًا بِما قَضَى اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَإِنَّهُ يَحْكُمُ عَلَيْكَ ما يُحِبُّ وَيَرْضی، لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُو العَلِيُّ الأَعْلی.
Shoghi Effendi Translation
My blood, at all times, addresseth me saying: “O Thou Who art the Image of the Most Merciful! How long will it be ere Thou riddest me of the captivity of this world, and deliverest me from the bondage of this life? Didst Thou not promise me that Thou shalt dye the earth with me, and sprinkle me on the faces of the inmates of Thy Paradise?” To this I make reply: “Be thou patient and quiet thyself. The things thou desirest can last but an hour. As to me, however, I quaff continually in the path of God the cup of His decree, and wish not that the ruling of His will should cease to operate, or that the woes I suffer for the sake of my Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, should be ended. Seek thou my wish and forsake thine own. Thy bondage is not for my protection, but to enable me to sustain successive tribulations, and to prepare me for the trials that must needs repeatedly assail me. Perish that lover who discerneth between the pleasant and the poisonous in his love for his beloved! Be thou satisfied with what God hath destined for thee. He, verily, ruleth over thee as He willeth and pleaseth. No God is there but Him, the Inaccessible, the Most High.”
Translation Notes
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: addressgleaningsGWB §611: addresseth theekitab-i-iqanKIQ §245: discoursesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §107: saith unto mewill-and-testamentW&T §34: Holy Textepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §253: addressethgleaningsGWB §694: addressedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: addresseth me
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §246: this very momentgleaningsGWB §612: on the Day whenkitab-i-iqanKIQ §22: seasonsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §450: moment of my lifeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §241: forthwithgleaningsGWB §305: at the very momentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §54: Whereuponprayers-and-meditationsP&M §238: Wherefore
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: have saidgleaningsGWB §612: Say: Okitab-i-ahdAhd §14: speakethkitab-i-iqanKIQ §275: I saidprayers-and-meditationsP&M §736: He hath saidtablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: We made replytablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: And thus proclaimedthe-hidden-wordsHW §153: by words
طَلْعَةَ
literal: rising-place; dawning-place; countenance
This form usually rendered as “shone”, “hath”, “one” (15 occurrences)
SE expanded to ““O Thou Who art the”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §181: becoming knownfire-tabletFire §16: embodimentsgleaningsGWB §338: well awarekitab-i-ahdAhd §8: sourceskitab-i-iqanKIQ §115: that haply ye may be informedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §674: and of the Dayspringtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §37: may understandthe-hidden-wordsHW §25: before the countenance
SE expanded to “the Most Merciful”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: of Thy mercyfire-tabletFire §30: Thy compassiongleaningsGWB §650: “the All-Merciful”kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: blessingskitab-i-iqanKIQ §160: divineprayers-and-meditationsP&M §659: O God of mercytablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a mercytablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: in token of His mercy
This form usually rendered as “riddest” (1 occurrences)
cast 13% imprisonment 13% imprisoned 13% hath 13% prison 13% imprison 7% whom 7% flung 7% riddest 7% bondage 7%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §242: imprisonmentgleaningsGWB §221: castprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: Thy bondagethe-hidden-wordsHW §116: prisonwill-and-testamentW&T §3: confinementepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: cast Him into prisongleaningsGWB §183: and hath accepted to be made a prisonerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §23: and the prison into which I am cast
stronghold 55% fortress-town 10% within 10% tower 7% fortress 7% captivity 3% sanctuary 3% bulwark 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §209: StronggleaningsGWB §490: a strongholdkitab-i-iqanKIQ §92: married womanprayers-and-meditationsP&M §573: the fortress-townthe-hidden-wordsHW §34: abide thereinwill-and-testamentW&T §10: secretepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §51: strongholdgleaningsGWB §594: a tower of strength
This form usually rendered as “all”, “creation”, “earth” (22 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: I was indeedgleaningsGWB §488: theykitab-i-iqanKIQ §102: holdeth, for all timeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §440: quintessencetablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: withhold not thyselftablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: lest thoutablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: whose heart haththe-hidden-wordsHW §4: My essence
prison 70% prison-city 6% imprisonment 6% dungeon 4% prison-house 4% prisoner 3% prison-cell 1% hath 1% deliverest 1% cast 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §34: dungeongleaningsGWB §658: suffering imprisonmentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §36: hellish fireprayers-and-meditationsP&M §188: hath been shut up in the prison-townwill-and-testamentW&T §6: incarcerationepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: imprisonedgleaningsGWB §225: captivityprayers-and-meditationsP&M §94: into prison
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: all creationfire-tabletFire §20: every creaturegleaningsGWB §521: the entire creationkitab-i-iqanKIQ §83: all the passagesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §487: the lordship of all thingsthe-hidden-wordsHW §75: realm of the infinitewill-and-testamentW&T §17: submissivenessepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: can
This form usually rendered as “didst” (1 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: promisedgleaningsGWB §51: that hath been promisedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: of the promised Oneprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: Didst Thou not promise meepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: thy pledgegleaningsGWB §37: foretoldkitab-i-iqanKIQ §122: threatenedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §219: Thou didst promise
This form usually rendered as “dye”, “tinge” (2 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: and crimsonkitab-i-iqanKIQ §55: assesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §284: tingetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §6: of the crimson seaswill-and-testamentW&T §10: dyed crimsonepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §190: Crimsonprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: dyeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §278: with me
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §77: those regionsfire-tabletFire §36: a desolate landgleaningsGWB §460: upon His earthkitab-i-iqanKIQ §231: the peoples of the worldprayers-and-meditationsP&M §316: earth and heaventablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §43: the landsthe-hidden-wordsHW §44: My earthepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §30: all who are on earth
This form usually rendered as “sprinkle” (1 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: departurefire-tabletFire §30: This FacegleaningsGWB §548: attuned tokitab-i-ahdAhd §10: turn your faceskitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: to turnprayers-and-meditationsP&M §258: turning towards Theetablet-of-carmelCarmel §2: hast directed towards me Thy stepsthe-hidden-wordsHW §41: before Our Face
This form usually rendered as “people”, “peoples”, “dwellers” (284 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §231: worthyfire-tabletFire §41: the stirrersgleaningsGWB §635: themkitab-i-ahdAhd §5: beholderskitab-i-iqanKIQ §33: Soulsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §62: of such as have recognizedtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: them that are withinthe-hidden-wordsHW §92: children
SE rendered وَتُصْبَغَ (watuṣbagh), وُجُوهُ (wujúh), أَهْلِ (ʾahl), مَلإِ (malʾ), الفِرْدَوْسِ (al-firdaws) as “sprinkle me, faces, inmates, Thy, Paradise?””
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the Concoursefire-tabletFire §45: are filledgleaningsGWB §188: Followers ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: the chiefsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §184: may be filledtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: assemblagetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §26: Celestial Concoursewill-and-testamentW&T §10: is filled
SE rendered مَلإِ (malʾ), الفِرْدَوْسِ (al-firdaws), رَشَحاتِي، (rashaḥátí،), وَأَنَا (waʾaná), أَقُولُ (ʾaqúl), اصْبِرْ (iṣbir) as “Thy, Paradise?”, make, patient”
sprinkling 25% drops 20% sprinkle 15% dewdrop 10% surging 5% outpourings 5% taking 5% woes 5% showers 5% besprinkled 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: a sprinklingfire-tabletFire §19: surginggleaningsGWB §67: showerskitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: glimmerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §109: the effusionsgleaningsGWB §581: sprinkle therewithkitab-i-iqanKIQ §137: besprinkledprayers-and-meditationsP&M §598: the drops which are sprinkled
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: long-sufferingfire-tabletFire §40: to bear and enduregleaningsGWB §47: tarrykitab-i-iqanKIQ §251: their fortitudeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §690: are patienttablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: withholdthe-hidden-wordsHW §142: My long-sufferingepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: patient
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: established his residencefire-tabletFire §24: AssurancegleaningsGWB §324: stillnesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §203: was lostprayers-and-meditationsP&M §501: quenchethtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §20: them that abidethe-hidden-wordsHW §69: and dwellwill-and-testamentW&T §48: quiet
This form usually rendered as “may”, “shall”, “show” (75 occurrences)
may 16% shall 14% show 11% revealed 11% reveal 9% manifested 9% manifest 9% whom 7% will 7% revelation 7%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: hath shownfire-tabletFire §38: prevailgleaningsGWB §103: heard utteredkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: streamed forthkitab-i-iqanKIQ §285: literally fulfilledprayers-and-meditationsP&M §734: Thou wouldst reveal Thy Selftablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assistthe-hidden-wordsHW §158: yield
SE rendered يَظْهَرُ (yaẓhar), سَاعَةٍ، (sáʿahin،), وَيَتِمُّ (wayatimm), سَاعَةٍ (sáʿahin), أُخْرى، (ʾukhrى،) as “last, hour, but, an”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §243: completedgleaningsGWB §676: everykitab-i-iqanKIQ §136: to perfectprayers-and-meditationsP&M §242: most perfectthe-hidden-wordsHW §160: fully vouchsafedwill-and-testamentW&T §6: more completeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: exterminatedgleaningsGWB §118: perfect
SE rendered وَيَتِمُّ (wayatimm), سَاعَةٍ (sáʿahin), أُخْرى، (ʾukhrى،) as “but, an”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §182: the concluding passagesgleaningsGWB §257: or of the futurekitab-i-iqanKIQ §171: the “Endprayers-and-meditationsP&M §182: and in the life beyondthe-hidden-wordsHW §96: While there is yetwill-and-testamentW&T §42: of lateepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §240: ensuinggleaningsGWB §705: others
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §18: systems of religious beliefgleaningsGWB §598: Causekitab-i-iqanKIQ §32: approachprayers-and-meditationsP&M §248: for the saketablet-of-ahmadAhmad §11: in My paththe-hidden-wordsHW §46: My pathwill-and-testamentW&T §3: shed streamsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: in Thy path
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: is God’sfire-tabletFire §41: after GodgleaningsGWB §224: that are known to none except Godkitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testatorkitab-i-iqanKIQ §212: of His graceprayers-and-meditationsP&M §559: I swear by Theetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: “By the Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: quaffedgleaningsGWB §25: and drink inkitab-i-ahdAhd §4: drink then your fillkitab-i-iqanKIQ §5: drink deepprayers-and-meditationsP&M §200: drank to the fullthe-hidden-wordsHW §113: with them that drinkepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: drink yegleaningsGWB §467: given to
decree 36% irrevocable 18% god’s 9% what 9% destiny 5% divine 5% decreed 5% ruling 5% tribulations 5% judgment 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: fulfilledfire-tabletFire §29: of destinygleaningsGWB §569: things He hath ordainedkitab-i-ahdAhd §10: is endedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §286: Such is His decreeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §634: Thou didst destine for methe-hidden-wordsHW §46: for that which I ordainwill-and-testamentW&T §14: requirement
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: highwaymengleaningsGWB §551: detach himselfkitab-i-iqanKIQ §170: sublime renunciationprayers-and-meditationsP&M §381: torn asundertablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: severed oneswill-and-testamentW&T §3: highway robbersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §10: detachmentgleaningsGWB §685: rid yourselves of attachment
This form usually rendered as “tribulation”, “adversity”, “tribulations” (31 occurrences)
tribulation 37% adversity 13% tribulations 13% affliction 10% woe 10% woes 7% troubles 3% trials 3% afflictions 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: We have proved theefire-tabletFire §39: calamitygleaningsGWB §600: affliction.…kitab-i-iqanKIQ §6: the indignities heaped uponprayers-and-meditationsP&M §401: their sufferingsthe-hidden-wordsHW §49: under My trialswill-and-testamentW&T §3: the trialsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §19: affliction
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: its LordgleaningsGWB §123: the Sovereign Lord of allkitab-i-iqanKIQ §148: Lord.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §727: springtimetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §23: be my Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §25: of thy Godwill-and-testamentW&T §47: O my God!epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: thy Lord
most 62% exalted 20% inaccessible 5% sublime 2% báb 2% all-highest 2% transcendent 2% high 2% glory 2% heavens 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §242: Most Exalted Onefire-tabletFire §42: highestgleaningsGWB §58: the Most High.”kitab-i-iqanKIQ §266: apart fromprayers-and-meditationsP&M §447: hath elevatedtablet-of-carmelCarmel §2: raising highthe-hidden-wordsHW §92: the realm on highwill-and-testamentW&T §10: my glory
all-glorious 72% most 8% abhá 6% glory 6% effulgent 3% everlasting 1% resplendent 1% glorious 1% what 1%
This form usually rendered as “inflicting”, “let”, “canst” (3 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §230: refutinggleaningsGWB §689: to defendkitab-i-iqanKIQ §266: repudiationprayers-and-meditationsP&M §521: directed towardswill-and-testamentW&T §6: confutedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: refutegleaningsGWB §244: none can put backkitab-i-iqanKIQ §96: denunciations
protect 50% protection 50%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: Commit it to memorygleaningsGWB §567: for the preservationkitab-i-ahdAhd §5: safeguardingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §220: shieldedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: for my protectiontablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: Learn welltablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §22: guardianthe-hidden-wordsHW §112: sanctuary
nothingness 26% lack 14% utter 12% nothing 12% evanescent 10% perish 7% ignorance 5% failure 5% want 5% non-existence 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: innocencegleaningsGWB §106: nothingnesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §172: failureprayers-and-meditationsP&M §298: its impermanencewill-and-testamentW&T §54: his name be made to perishepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: The evanescentgleaningsGWB §375: perishablekitab-i-iqanKIQ §214: as utter nothingness
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: wishfire-tabletFire §7: of Thy lovegleaningsGWB §363: devotionkitab-i-iqanKIQ §12: His beloved Oneprayers-and-meditationsP&M §60: desiresttablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved Onethe-hidden-wordsHW §47: Is it thy wishwill-and-testamentW&T §48: Beloved One
يُمَيِّزُ
literal: distinction; distinguished; distinguish
This form usually rendered as “who” (1 occurrences)
distinguish 36% distinguished 21% distinction 11% may 7% discernment 7% man 4% blotted 4% supreme 4% ye 4% whether 4%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §10: distinguishgleaningsGWB §121: blotted outkitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: measureprayers-and-meditationsP&M §777: its own distinct and separate characterwill-and-testamentW&T §16: chosenepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: a man of discernmentgleaningsGWB §605: distinguishedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §84: may be known from
This form usually rendered as “hath”, “have”, “testified” (26 occurrences)
hath 32% have 18% testified 9% borne 9% testifieth 9% witnesseth 5% pronounced 5% detected 5% sweetness 5% pleasant 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §76: beareth nowfire-tabletFire §48: the placegleaningsGWB §466: detectedkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: appearethkitab-i-iqanKIQ §129: of Martyrsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §414: proclaim Thee to betablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: have We found themthe-hidden-wordsHW §45: and I within Myself may bear witness unto
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §216: eyefire-tabletFire §34: the poisoninggleaningsGWB §672: bitternesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §208: of its venomprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: and the poisonousepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §29: poisongleaningsGWB §135: infinitesimalepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: the bitterness
satisfied 22% content 17% refuse 11% willing 11% contentment 11% pleased 6% name 6% countenanced 6% consent 6% acquiesce 6%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §262: may God be pleasedfire-tabletFire §48: Thy pleasuregleaningsGWB §656: to Thy Willkitab-i-iqanKIQ §133: good-pleasureprayers-and-meditationsP&M §242: remain unsatisfiedthe-hidden-wordsHW §93: Minewill-and-testamentW&T §8: submitted to His Willepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: find their satisfaction
This form usually rendered as “ordaineth”, “will”, “judgeth” (18 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §103: hath enjoinedgleaningsGWB §492: His commandmentkitab-i-ahdAhd §6: rulershipkitab-i-iqanKIQ §167: be thoughtprayers-and-meditationsP&M §778: have been rulingtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §5: the Wise Onethe-hidden-wordsHW §13: My commandwill-and-testamentW&T §22: Tribunal
