Prayers and Meditations — §676

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 676 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

الَّذِينَ غَرِقُوا فِي بُحُورِ الإِشاراتِ ثُمَّ أَنْقِذْهُمْ بِسُلْطانِكَ يا مالِكَ الأَسْمآءِ وَالصِّفاتِ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الَّذِيْ لَمْ تَزَلْ كُنْتَ حاكِمًا عَلَى ما تَشَآءُ وَلا تَزالُ تَكُونُ بِمِثْلِ ما كُنْتَ فِي أَزَلِ الآزالِ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Have mercy, then, O my God, upon Thy servants who are drowned in the midst of the ocean of evil suggestions, and deliver them by the power of Thy sovereignty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and attributes! Thou art He Who from everlasting hath ordained what hath pleased Thee, and will unto everlasting abide the same. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Translation Notes

الَّذِينَ

l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

غَرِقُوا

gh-r-q → “drowned”

literal: to drown; drowned

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

بُحُورِ

b-ḥ-r → “ocean”

literal: sea; ocean

الإِشاراتِ

sh-y-r → “suggestions”

literal: explanation; commentary; to explain; to open

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

أَنْقِذْهُمْ

n-q-dh → “Save”

literal: to rescue; to save; to snatch away

بِسُلْطانِكَ

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: water

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

مالِكَ

m-l-k → “Lord”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

الأَسْمآءِ

s-m-w → “names”

literal: heaven; sky

وَالصِّفاتِ،

w-ṣ-f → “attributes”

literal: attribute; quality; characteristic

إِنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

لَمْ

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

تَزَلْ

z-w-l → “from everlasting”

literal: for us; to us

كُنْتَ

k-w-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

حاكِمًا

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

تَشَآءُ

sh-y-ʾ → “hath pleased” Distinctive

literal: thing; something

وَلا

w-l-y → “and”

literal: no; not; negation particle

بِمِثْلِ

m-th-l → “same” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

أَزَلِ

ʾ-z-l

literal: eternity; pre-eternity; without beginning; eternal; everlasting; from eternity

لا

l-ʾ → “No”

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

الغَفُورُ

gh-f-r → “Ever-Forgiving”

literal: to forgive; forgiveness

الرَّحِيمُ.

r-ḥ-m → “Most Merciful”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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