Prayers and Meditations — §326

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 326 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

مَذْكورًا بَيْنَ بَرِيَّتِكَ، وَكُلُّ ذِي بَصَرٍ مِنْ عِبادِكَ يُوقِنُ بِأَنَّ هَيْكَلِي بَاقٍ لا يَفْنى لأنَّ ذِكْرَكَ باقٍ بِدَوامِ نَفْسِكَ وَثَنائَكَ دائِمٌ بِدَوامِ سَلْطَنَتِكَ وَبِهِ يَذْكُرُكَ الذَّاكِرُونَ مِنْ أَصْفِيائِكَ وَالمُخْلِصُونَ مِنْ عِبادِكَ بَلْ كُلُّ مَنْ يَذْكُرُكَ فِي الإِمْكانِ بُدِءَ ذِكْرُهُ مِنْ هذا المَقَامِ وَيَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ، كما أَنَّ الشَّمْسَ إِذا أَشْرَقَتْ تَتَجَلَّى عَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ قابَلَها وَالتَّجَلِّي الَّذِيْ ظَهَرَ فِي كُلِّ شَيءٍ هُو مِنْهَا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Every man endued with insight among Thy servants is persuaded that my self liveth eternally and can never perish, inasmuch as remembrance of Thee is eternal and will endure so long as Thine own Self endureth, and Thy praise is everlasting and will last as long as Thine own sovereignty will last. By its means Thou art glorified by such of Thy chosen ones as call upon Thee and by the sincere among Thy servants. Nay, the praise wherewith any one, in the entire creation, praiseth Thee proceedeth from this exalted self and returneth unto it, even as the sun which, while it shineth, sheddeth its splendor upon whatsoever may be exposed to its rays. From this sun is generated, and unto it must return, the light which is shed over all things.

Translation Notes

بَيْنَ

b-y-n → “among Thy”

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

بَرِيَّتِكَ،

b-r-ʾ

literal: to create; to create anew; to be free from; innocent; free from; clear of; to cure; to heal; to clear

وَكُلُّ

k-l-l → “Every”

literal: for us; to us

ذِي

dh-w-y → “and” Distinctive

literal: possessor; possessor of; possessor/owner

بَصَرٍ

b-ṣ-r → “insight”

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

مِنْ

m-n → “of Thee is”

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

عِبادِكَ

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

يُوقِنُ

y-q-n → “is persuaded”

literal: certainty; certitude; be certain

بِأَنَّ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

هَيْكَلِي

h-y-k-l → “form”

literal: temple; structure; form; body

بَاقٍ

b-q-y → “liveth eternally”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَفْنى

f-n-y → “perish”

literal: annihilation; perishing; extinction; cessation; the threshold

لأنَّ

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ذِكْرَكَ

dh-k-r → “remembrance”

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

بِدَوامِ

d-w-m → “so long as”

literal: always; continually; perpetually; constantly

نَفْسِكَ

n-f-s → “Self”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

وَثَنائَكَ

th-n-y → “praise”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

سَلْطَنَتِكَ

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

وَبِهِ

b-h → “as”

literal: to; with it; with

أَصْفِيائِكَ

ṣ-f-w → “chosen ones”

literal: pure one; chosen one; selected one; elite

وَالمُخْلِصُونَ

kh-l-ṣ → “sincere”

literal: sincere; devoted; pure one

بَلْ

b-l → “Nay”

literal: rather; but; rather/nay

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

الإِمْكانِ

m-k-n → “creation”

literal: establishment; confirmation; empowerment; firm settlement; place; possibility; being (negated as ‘non-being’)

بُدِءَ

b-d-ʾ → “beginning”

literal: beginning; primacy; originality; origin; principle; starting point; commencement; start; inception; creation

هذا

h-dh-ʾ → “this exalted”

literal: this; that

المَقَامِ

q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

وَيَرْجِعُ

r-j-ʿ → “returneth”

literal: return; reference; place of return; resort

إِلَيْهِ،

ʾ-l-y → “besmirch”

literal: to; to him; besmirch

كما

k-m → “loss” Distinctive

literal: as; like; how much; lane; street; quarter; abode

أَنَّ

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الشَّمْسَ

sh-m-s → “sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

إِذا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

أَشْرَقَتْ

sh-r-q → “shineth”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

تَتَجَلَّى

j-l-y → “revelation” Distinctive

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

قابَلَها

q-b-l → “before” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

وَالتَّجَلِّي

j-l-w → “splendor”

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

الَّذِيْ

l-dh-y → “which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

ظَهَرَ

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

شَيءٍ

sh-y-ʾ → “things”

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

هُو

h-w

literal: He; He is

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

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 ¶