Prayers and Meditations — §560

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 560 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَعَلَى أَحِبَّتِي ما يَسْتَقِيمُهُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِكَ، ثُمَّ اجْعَلْهُمْ أَيادِيَ أَمْرِكَ بَيْنَ عِبادِكَ لِيَنْتَشِرَ مِنْهُمْ آثارُكَ وَيَظْهَرَ سُلْطانُكَ، لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ المُقْتَدِرُ عَلَى ما تُرِيْدُ وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ العَزِيزُ الحَمِيدُ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Send down, therefore, O my Lord, upon me and upon them that love me, that which will cause us to become steadfast in Thy Faith. Enable them, then, to become the Hands of Thy Cause amongst Thy servants, that they may scatter abroad Thy signs, and show forth Thy sovereignty. There is no God but Thee, Who art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest. Thou art, in truth, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

Translation Notes

وَعَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

أَحِبَّتِي

ḥ-b-b → “them that love me”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

يَسْتَقِيمُهُمْ

q-y-m → “station” Distinctive

literal: station; Self-Subsisting; make steadfast

أَمْرِكَ

ʾ-m-r → “of Thy Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

اجْعَلْهُمْ

j-ʿ-l → “Enable them”

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

أَيادِيَ

y-d-y → “Hands”

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers

بَيْنَ

b-y-n → “amongst Thy servants”

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

عِبادِكَ

ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

لِيَنْتَشِرَ

n-sh-r → “spreading” Distinctive

literal: spreading; spread; diffusion

مِنْهُمْ

m-n

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

آثارُكَ

ʾ-th-r → “Thy signs”

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint

وَيَظْهَرَ

ẓ-h-r → “and show forth Thy sovereignty” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

سُلْطانُكَ،

s-l-ṭ

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

إِلهَ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

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

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

المُقْتَدِرُ

q-d-r → “Who art powerful”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

تُرِيْدُ

r-y-d → “Thou willest” Distinctive

literal: want; desire; will

وَإِنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

العَزِيزُ

ʿ-z-z → “the All-Glorious”

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

الحَمِيدُ.

ḥ-m-d → “the All-Praised”

literal: praise; to praise

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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