Prayers and Meditations — §299

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 299 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

عَلَى انْعِدامِها، وَالَّذِيْ عَرَفَكَ لا يَنْظُرُ إِلى غَيْرِكَ وَلا يُرِيدُ مِنْكَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ مُنْتَهَى أَمَلِ الآمِلِينَ وَغايَةُ رَجآءِ المُخْلِصِينَ،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Whosoever hath recognized Thee will turn to none save Thee, and will seek from Thee naught else except Thyself. Thou art the sole Desire of the heart of him whose thoughts are fixed on Thee, and the highest Aspiration of whosoever is wholly devoted unto Thee.

Translation Notes

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

انْعِدامِها،

ʿ-d-m

literal: nonexistent; void; nullified

وَالَّذِيْ

dh-w-y → “and” Distinctive

literal: who; which; that which

عَرَفَكَ

ʿ-r-f → “Thee”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَنْظُرُ

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

إِلى

ʾ-l-y

literal: to; to, toward; to, until

غَيْرِكَ

gh-y-r → “Thee”

literal: without; besides; other than; except

وَلا

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: friend; lord; guardian

يُرِيدُ

r-y-d → “seek” Distinctive

literal: to will; to wish; to intend

مِنْكَ

m-n → “from Thee”

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

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

أَنْتَ،

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

وَإِنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مُنْتَهَى

n-h-y → “forbidden” Distinctive

literal: stinking, foul-smelling; stench

أَمَلِ

ʾ-m-l

literal: hope; expectation; aspiration; desire; wish; to hope; to wish

الآمِلِينَ

ʾ-m-l

literal: hope; expectation; aspiration; desire; wish; to hope; to wish

وَغايَةُ

gh-w-y → “Desire”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

رَجآءِ

r-j-w

literal: to hope; to aspire; to expect

المُخْلِصِينَ،

kh-l-ṣ → “wholly devoted”

literal: sincere; devoted; pure one

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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Gleanings

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729 ¶

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

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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 ¶