Prayers and Meditations — §372

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 372 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

العَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ، أَيْ رَبِّ أَسْئَلُكَ بِأَنْ لا تَطْرُدَ مَنْ أَرادَكَ وَلا تَمْنَعَ مَنْ قَصَدَكَ وَلا تَحْرِمَ مَنْ أَحَبَّكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ أَنْتَ الَّذِيْ سَمَّيْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالرَّحْمنِ ثُمَّ بِالرَّحيمِ، فَارْحَمْ أَمَتَكَ الَّتِيْ لاذَتْ بِكَ وَتَوَجَّهَتْ إِلَيْكَ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Cast not out, I entreat Thee, O my Lord, them that have sought Thee, and turn not away such as have directed their steps towards Thee, and deprive not of Thy grace all that love Thee. Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath called Himself the God of Mercy, the Most Compassionate. Have mercy, then, upon Thy handmaiden who hath sought Thy shelter, and set her face towards Thee.

Translation Notes

العَزِيزُ

ʿ-z-z

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

الْكَرِيمُ،

k-r-m

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “O my Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

أَسْئَلُكَ

s-ʾ-l → “I entreat Thee” Distinctive

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

بِأَنْ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تَطْرُدَ

ṭ-r-d

literal: expel; drive away; expelled

مَنْ

m-n → “them” Distinctive

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

أَرادَكَ

r-y-d → “have sought Thee”

literal: will, volition, intention, desire

وَلا

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: friend; lord; guardian

تَمْنَعَ

m-n-ʿ → “hinder”

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

قَصَدَكَ

q-ṣ-d → “have directed their steps”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

تَحْرِمَ

ḥ-r-m → “deprive”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

أَحَبَّكَ،

ḥ-b-b → “love Thee”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

الَّذِيْ

l-dh-y → “which”

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

سَمَّيْتَ

s-m-y → “names” Distinctive

literal: name; names; named

نَفْسَكَ

n-f-s → “Himself” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

بِالرَّحْمنِ

r-ḥ-m → “God of Mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

أَمَتَكَ

ʾ-m-y → “Thy handmaiden”

literal: people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden

الَّتِيْ

ʾ-l-l → “which”

literal: who; which/that; which

لاذَتْ

l-w-dh → “my Refuge” Distinctive

literal: refuge; seeking refuge; haven

وَتَوَجَّهَتْ

w-j-h → “and set her face” Distinctive

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

إِلَيْكَ

ʾ-l-y → “towards Thee” Distinctive

literal: one; a single

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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Gleanings

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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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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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 ¶

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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 ¶