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Prayers and Meditations — §308

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 308 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ يا إِلهِي أَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الكافِي بِأَنْ تَكفِيَ عَنَّا شَرَّ أَعْدائِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِبُرْهانِكَ وَاعْتَرَضُوا عَلَى جَمالِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ القاهِرِ بِأَنْ تَقْهَرَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا عَلَى مَظْهَرِ نَفْسِكَ الأُولى الَّذِيْ ظَهَرَ بِاسْمِكَ الأَبْهی، وَبِاسْمِكَ الآخِذِ بِأَنْ تَأْخُذَ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا أَمْرَكَ سُخْرِيًّا وَيَلْعَبوُنَ بِالآياتِ الكُبْرى وَمُنِعُوا عَنْ هذا المَقامِ الأَسْنی، وَبِاسْمِكَ الغَالِبِ بِأَنْ تُغَلِّبَ أَحِبَّائَكَ عَلَى أَعَادِي نَفْسِكَ وَالكَفَرَةِ مِنْ بَرِيَّتِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ الهاتِكِ بِأَنْ تَهْتِكَ سِتْرَ الَّذِينَ هَتَكُوا حُرْمَتَكَ وَضَيَّعُوا أَمْرَكَ بَيْنَ عِبادِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ الجَبَّارِ بِأَنْ تَجْبِرَ قُلُوبَ أَحِبَّتِكَ وَتُصْلِحَ أُموُرَهُمْ بِعِنايَتِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ العَلاَّمِ بِأَنْ تُعَلِّمَهُمْ مِنْ بَدائِعِ عِلْمِكَ لِيَسْتَقِيْمُنَّ عَلَى أَمْرِكَ وَيَسْلُكُنَّ سُبُلَ رِضائِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ المَانِعِ بِأَنْ تَمْنَعَ عَنْهُم ظُلْمَ كُلِّ ظَالِمٍ وَبَغْيَ كُلِّ بَاغٍ وَضُرَّ كُلِّ مُضِرٍّ، وَبِاسْمِكَ الحَافِظِ بِأَنْ تَحْفَظَهُمْ فِي حِصْنِ قُدْرَتِكَ وَاقْتِدارِكَ لِئَلا يَرِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سِهَامُ الإِشَاراتِ مِنْ عُصَاةِ بَرِيَّتِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ الَّذِيْ جَعَلْتَهُ مُبَارَكًا بَيْنَ أَسْمائِكَ وَاخْتَصَصْتَهُ بِنَفْسِكَ وَأَظْهَرْتَ بِهِ جَمَالَكَ بِأَنْ تُبَارِكَ عَلَى أَحِبَّتِكَ هذِهِ الأَيَّامِ الَّتِيْ رُقِمَتْ مِنْ قَلَمِ تَقْدِيرِكَ وَقُضِيَتْ فِي لَوْحِ الإِمْضآءِ بِعِلْمِكَ وَإِرادَتِكَ، وَبِاسْمِكَ السَّخَّارِ بِأَنْ تُسَخِّرَ أَهْلَ مَمْلَكَتِكَ لِيُقْبِلُنَّ كُلٌّ إِلى وَجْهِكَ وَيَنْقَطِعُنَّ عَمَّا عِنْدَهُمْ حُبًّا لِنَفسِكَ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Restrainer, to withhold from us the maleficence of Thine adversaries who have disbelieved in Thy testimony, and caviled at Thy beauty. Overpower by Thy Name, the All-Subduing, such as have wronged Thy Previous Manifestation Who hath now appeared invested with Thy title, the All-Glorious. Lay hold, by Thy name, the Chastiser, on them that have treated Thy Cause with scorn, have jested at Thy most mighty utterances, and were hindered from attaining this most exalted station. Enable Thy loved ones, by Thy Name, the Victorious, to prevail against Thine enemies and the infidels among Thy creatures. Rend asunder, by Thy Name, the Cleaver, the veil that hideth the doings of them that have besmirched Thine honor and undermined Thy Faith among Thy people. Bind, by Thy Name, the Restorer, the broken hearts of them that love Thee, and graciously bless them in their affairs. Teach them, by Thy Name, the All-Knowing, the wonders of Thy wisdom, that they may cleave steadfastly to Thy Faith and walk in the ways of Thy pleasure. Keep them safe, by Thy Name, the Withholder, from the tyranny of the oppressor and the wickedness of the evil-doers and the malice of the stirrers of mischief. Shield them, by Thy Name, the Preserver, within the stronghold of Thy might and power, that haply they may be protected from the darts of doubt that are hurled by such as have rebelled against Thee. Sanctify for Thy servants, by Thy Name which Thou hast blessed above all other names, which Thou hast singled out for Thy favor, and by which Thou didst reveal Thy beauty, these days of which the Pen of Thy decree hath distinctly written, and which, according to Thy will and wisdom, have been preordained in Thine irrevocable Tablet. Subject to Thy rule, by Thy Name, the Conqueror, the people of Thy realm, that all may turn towards Thy face and forsake their all for love of Thee and for the sake of Thy pleasure.

Translation Notes

الأُولى
al-ʾúlى ʾ-w-l

literal: first

SE rendered مَظْهَرِ (maẓhar)نَفْسِكَ (nafsik)الأُولى (al-ʾúlى)ظَهَرَ (ẓahar)بِاسْمِكَ (biásmik) as “Thy Previous Manifestation, appeared, with Thy”

world 52% life 10% fitting 5% people 5% first 5% present 5% next 5% primal 5% source 5% ye 5%
الكُبْرى
al-kubrى k-b-r

literal: greatest; greater; grandeur

SE rendered وَيَلْعَبوُنَ (wayalʿabwun)بِالآياتِ (biáláyát)الكُبْرى (al-kubrى)وَمُنِعُوا (wamuniʿúá)المَقامِ (al-maqám) as “have jested, at Thy most mighty utterances, and were hindered, most exalted station”

الأَسْنی،
as-sní، s-n-w

literal: most-exalted; most exalted

SE rendered وَمُنِعُوا (wamuniʿúá)المَقامِ (al-maqám)الأَسْنی، (as-sní،)وَبِاسْمِكَ (wabiásmik)الغَالِبِ (al-ghálib) as “and were hindered, most exalted station, by Thy, Name, the Victorious”

most 43% sublime 29% loftiest 14% seat 14%
بِعِنايَتِكَ،
biʿináyatika، ʿ-n-y

literal: care; meaning; meanings

SE rendered وَتُصْلِحَ (watuṣliḥ)أُموُرَهُمْ (ʾumwurahum)بِعِنايَتِكَ، (biʿináyatika،)وَبِاسْمِكَ (wabiásmik)العَلاَّمِ (al-ʿalálam) as “graciously bless, in their affairs, by Thy, Name, the All-Knowing”

يَرِدَ
yarid w-r-d

literal: entering; come; arrive

SE rendered قُدْرَتِكَ (qudratik)وَاقْتِدارِكَ (wáqtidárik)لِئَلا (liʾalá)يَرِدَ (yarid)عَلَيْهِمْ (ʿalayhim)سِهَامُ (sihám)الإِشَاراتِ (ash-shárát) as “of Thy might, and power, that haply, the darts, of doubt”

must 17% exposed 17% face 17% may 17% befalleth 17% unite 17%
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim ʿ-l-y

literal: upon; on

SE rendered وَاقْتِدارِكَ (wáqtidárik)لِئَلا (liʾalá)يَرِدَ (yarid)عَلَيْهِمْ (ʿalayhim)سِهَامُ (sihám)الإِشَاراتِ (ash-shárát) as “and power, that haply, the darts, of doubt”

rest 20% wronged 20% upon 20% unto 20% fall 20%

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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