Prayers and Meditations — §744
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 744 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
القُصُورِ عَنِ العِرْفانِ وَبِالعَجْزِ عَنِ الصُّعُودِ إِلى سَمآءٍ فيها تَجَلَّتْ شَمْسٌ مِنْ شُمُوسِ مَظاهِرِ عِلْمِكَ وَمَشارِقِ حِكْمَتِكَ ما لأَحَدٍ وَذِكْرُ هذا المَقامِ الأَعْلى وَالمَقَرِّ الأَسْنى المَقامِ الَّذِيْ جَعَلْتَهُ فَوْقَ عِرْفانِ خَلْقِكَ وَشَهاداتِ عِبادِكَ، لَمْ يَزَلْ كانَ مَسْتُورًا عَنِ الإِدْراكَ وَالعُلُومِ وَمَخْتومًا بِخِتامِ اسْمِكَ القَّيُّومِ، وَعِزَّتِكَ وَسَلْطَنَتِكَ المُهَيْمِنَةِ عَلَى المُلْكِ وَالمَلَكُوتِ لَوْ أَحَدٌ مِن أَصْفِيائِكَ وَسُفَرآئِكَ يَتَفَكَّرُ فِي شُئُوناتِ قَلَمِكَ الأَعْلى الَّذِيْ تُحَرِّكُهُ إِصْبَعُ إِرادَتِكَ وَيَتَفَكَّرُ فِي أَسْرارِهِ وَآثارِهِ وما يَظْهَرُ مِنْهُ لَيَتَحَيَّرُ
Shoghi Effendi Translation
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being and the Possessor of all things visible and invisible! Every man of understanding hath been so bewildered at Thy knowledge, and every man endued with insight been so perplexed in his attempt to fathom the signs of Thy great glory, that all have recognized their powerlessness to visualize, and their impotence to soar into, the heaven wherefrom one of the Luminaries of the Manifestations of Thy knowledge and of the Daysprings of Thy wisdom hath shone forth. Who is he that shall befittingly describe this most sublime station and this most august seat—the seat which, as decreed by Thee, transcendeth the comprehension of Thy creatures and the testimonies of Thy servants, and which hath everlastingly been hid from the understanding and the knowledge of men, and been closed with the seal of Thy name, the Self-Subsisting.
Translation Notes
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: conductgleaningsGWB §168: mystic mansionkitab-i-iqanKIQ §190: mansionsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §316: his failuretablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §47: mansionepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: their palacesgleaningsGWB §591: the Mansionkitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: only guilt
This form usually rendered as “knowledge”, “understanding”, “recognition” (144 occurrences)
knowledge 34% understanding 26% recognition 8% recognize 8% comprehension 7% know 6% recognizing 4% insight 3% wisdom 2% visualize 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: men of understandinggleaningsGWB §61: itkitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deedskitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: the sagesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §241: I have confessedtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to seethe-hidden-wordsHW §143: knoweth othersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: for the purpose of recognizing
powerlessness 24% powerless 14% can 14% frustrate 10% helplessness 8% impotent 8% impotence 8% unable 6% failed 4% none 4%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §82: none can producegleaningsGWB §685: impotentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §230: miracleprayers-and-meditationsP&M §260: is a mere abject onewill-and-testamentW&T §49: overwhelmedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: frustrategleaningsGWB §297: powerlessnesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §157: the miracle
This form usually rendered as “ascend”, “ascension”, “ascent” (20 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §42: infire-tabletFire §36: heavenlygleaningsGWB §120: one of His nameskitab-i-iqanKIQ §15: sacredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §42: unspeakable majestytablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Names.’tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: my Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §29: he bear My name
SE expanded to “hath shone forth”
revelation 27% hath 15% effulgent 12% shed 12% splendors 8% splendor 8% thou 8% effulgence 4% evidences 4% revelations 4%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: RevelationgleaningsGWB §328: is reflected inkitab-i-iqanKIQ §217: splendoursprayers-and-meditationsP&M §744: hath shone forththe-hidden-wordsHW §117: revealepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §203: effulgent splendorsgleaningsGWB §563: hath shedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §205: effulgent glories
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: suns of Thy goodly giftsgleaningsGWB §97: Daystarskitab-i-iqanKIQ §23: the Sun of Truthprayers-and-meditationsP&M §203: and byepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: sun ingleaningsGWB §286: birthkitab-i-iqanKIQ §34: theseprayers-and-meditationsP&M §141: of the Daystar
manifestations 69% exponents 10% manifestation 6% embodiments 5% who 2% such 2% revealers 2% revelations 1% any 1% dispensations 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §25: seemingfire-tabletFire §12: DayspringgleaningsGWB §280: My Presencekitab-i-ahdAhd §11: have We graciously revealedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: deliveredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §760: by the revelationtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assisttablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Revelation—a Revelation
SE expanded to “of Thy knowledge”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §146: All-Knowingfire-tabletFire §49: all the worldsgleaningsGWB §557: teachingskitab-i-iqanKIQ §97: of Qur’ánicprayers-and-meditationsP&M §717: Lordtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worldstablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: we have taught theethe-hidden-wordsHW §144: peoples
SE expanded to “and of the Daysprings”
daysprings 38% manifestations 19% day-springs 10% dawning-places 5% sources 5% emblems 5% repositories 5% embodiments 5% easts 5% “easts” 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: shinethfire-tabletFire §14: Dawning PlacegleaningsGWB §666: manifestkitab-i-iqanKIQ §45: the Eastsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §461: shed abroadtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §41: even as the lightthe-hidden-wordsHW §42: shine upon theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: dawn
SE expanded to “of Thy wisdom”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §18: firmly-establishedgleaningsGWB §719: My namekitab-i-ahdAhd §6: rulershipkitab-i-iqanKIQ §34: declaredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §317: Supreme Rulertablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: shall be testedthe-hidden-wordsHW §13: My commandwill-and-testamentW&T §6: into the hands
SE rendered وَمَشارِقِ (wamasháriq), حِكْمَتِكَ (ḥikmatik), لأَحَدٍ (lʾaḥadin), وَذِكْرُ (wadhikr), المَقامِ (al-maqám), الأَعْلى (al-ʾaʿlى) as “and of the Daysprings, of Thy wisdom, that, shall befittingly describe, most sublime station, and this most august”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: NonegleaningsGWB §148: of the Unity of Godkitab-i-iqanKIQ §102: man beprayers-and-meditationsP&M §236: Thy transcendent singlenessthe-hidden-wordsHW §141: any man’sepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: anyonegleaningsGWB §324: Him Who is thekitab-i-iqanKIQ §211: ancient
وَذِكْرُ
literal: mention; remembrance; mentioned
This form usually rendered as “remembrance”, “mention”, “praise” (252 occurrences)
SE expanded to “shall befittingly describe”
remembrance 25% mention 22% praise 20% mentioned 8% recorded 4% describe 4% remember 4% remembering 4% referred 4% words 3%
SE expanded to “most sublime station”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: I have arisenfire-tabletFire §48: He hath risen upgleaningsGWB §399: Self-Subsisting!”kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: to be beneath thatkitab-i-iqanKIQ §54: pagesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §361: a stationtablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: most exalted Spottablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §47: own station
SE expanded to “and this most august”
seat 36% habitation 13% place 10% abide 10% court 8% spot 5% confessed 5% abode 5% retreats 5% acceptance 3%
This form usually rendered as “most”, “sublime”, “loftiest” (11 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §251: yearsgleaningsGWB §441: for many a long yearprayers-and-meditationsP&M §678: my Lighttablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §21: of Glorythe-hidden-wordsHW §64: enlightenmentepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: year ninegleaningsGWB §549: longprayers-and-meditationsP&M §744: seat
This form usually rendered as “thou”, “hast”, “made” (59 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §209: sufferfire-tabletFire §44: We have madegleaningsGWB §537: singled Him outkitab-i-iqanKIQ §17: handiworkprayers-and-meditationsP&M §833: hast caused methe-hidden-wordsHW §65: clothewill-and-testamentW&T §36: and grant thatepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §81: set thee king
SE expanded to “of Thy creatures”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §141: menfire-tabletFire §40: wert createdgleaningsGWB §584: the entire human racekitab-i-iqanKIQ §121: a new creation!”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §284: the eyes of Thy creaturestablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: created herthe-hidden-wordsHW §14: I created theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: the world was called
This form usually rendered as “testimonies” (1 occurrences)
SE expanded to “of Thy servants”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: servantsfire-tabletFire §49: AdoredgleaningsGWB §153: of Godkitab-i-iqanKIQ §53: the peoples of the worldprayers-and-meditationsP&M §539: Thy servant’stablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a servicethe-hidden-wordsHW §3: of otherswill-and-testamentW&T §10: wronged servant
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: invariablygleaningsGWB §555: be dispelledkitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: vanishedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §86: wilt to eternity abidethe-hidden-wordsHW §115: passingwill-and-testamentW&T §24: may vanishepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §75: everlastinglygleaningsGWB §649: time
hidden 43% concealed 26% hid 6% lie 6% veiled 6% hide 3% yet 3% whatsoever 3% unrevealed 3% enshrined 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §93: may concealfire-tabletFire §45: Thou ConcealergleaningsGWB §277: is concealedkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: latentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §225: innerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §784: intablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §36: been hiddenepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: veils and curtains
comprehend 27% understanding 27% grasp 8% apprehend 8% failed 8% understood 8% intelligence 4% comprehending 4% imagine 4% apprehending 4%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: SealedgleaningsGWB §25: The seal ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §226: hath declaredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §744: withthe-hidden-wordsHW §141: sealed with My sealwill-and-testamentW&T §10: my endepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §169: SealgleaningsGWB §114: Prophetic Cycle
SE expanded to “I swear by Thy”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: exalted andfire-tabletFire §43: by Thy banishmentgleaningsGWB §489: He exaltethkitab-i-iqanKIQ §99: friendprayers-and-meditationsP&M §365: what shall exaltthe-hidden-wordsHW §125: Pride not yourselveswill-and-testamentW&T §10: my prideepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: precious in my estimation
SE rendered القَّيُّومِ، (al-qqayyúmi،), وَعِزَّتِكَ (waʿizzatik), وَسَلْطَنَتِكَ (wasalṭanatik), المُهَيْمِنَةِ (al-muhayminah), المُلْكِ (al-mulk) as “of Thy name, I swear by Thy, the Lord”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: KinggleaningsGWB §319: Ideal Kingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §131: the worldly dominionprayers-and-meditationsP&M §203: and of Thy sovereigntytablet-of-ahmadAhmad §1: is the Kingthe-hidden-wordsHW §98: chiefwill-and-testamentW&T §8: unto a just kingepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: sovereign
SE rendered وَعِزَّتِكَ (waʿizzatik), وَسَلْطَنَتِكَ (wasalṭanatik), المُهَيْمِنَةِ (al-muhayminah), المُلْكِ (al-mulk) as “I swear by Thy, the Lord”
help 41% omnipotent 16% supreme 13% sovereign 9% ruler 6% transcendent 3% protector 3% transcendeth 3% pervadeth 3% all-subduing 3%
This form usually rendered as “kingdom”, “king”, “sovereign” (99 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §155: unto the KinggleaningsGWB §163: in that landkitab-i-iqanKIQ §268: worldprayers-and-meditationsP&M §518: Who arttablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: of the Kingdomtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: the worldsthe-hidden-wordsHW §7: Our kingdomwill-and-testamentW&T §28: righteous
SE rendered المُلْكِ (al-mulk), وَالمَلَكُوتِ (wálmalakút), لَوْ (law), أَحَدٌ (ʾaḥadun) as “the Lord”
8 occurrences in corpus
SE rendered المُلْكِ (al-mulk), وَالمَلَكُوتِ (wálmalakút), لَوْ (law), أَحَدٌ (ʾaḥadun) as “the Lord”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: anyonegleaningsGWB §98: Godkitab-i-iqanKIQ §148: Lampprayers-and-meditationsP&M §499: Thy billowing oceanstablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: dwellerthe-hidden-wordsHW §69: himself over the otherepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the IncomparablegleaningsGWB §103: Singleness
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §203: purityfire-tabletFire §27: andgleaningsGWB §112: every Prophetkitab-i-iqanKIQ §264: pureprayers-and-meditationsP&M §292: Thy transcendent attributesthe-hidden-wordsHW §100: crystal purewill-and-testamentW&T §45: Thy Holy Onesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: chosen ones
SE rendered أَصْفِيائِكَ (ʾaṣfíáʾik), وَسُفَرآئِكَ (wasufaráʾik) as “”
messengers 75% ministers 25%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §77: recommendationsgleaningsGWB §469: ministrykitab-i-iqanKIQ §24: Gospelprayers-and-meditationsP&M §724: Messengersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §181: officialsgleaningsGWB §581: wayfarerkitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: separationprayers-and-meditationsP&M §756: Thy Messengers
SE rendered أَصْفِيائِكَ (ʾaṣfíáʾik), وَسُفَرآئِكَ (wasufaráʾik), يَتَفَكَّرُ (yatafakkar) as “”
ponder 46% reflect 22% meditate 19% consider 3% considered 2% pondering 2% visualize 2% minds 2% diligently 2% thoughts 2%
SE rendered شُئُوناتِ (shuʾúnát), قَلَمِكَ (qalamik), الأَعْلى (al-ʾaʿlى) as “”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: that neithergleaningsGWB §567: low estatekitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: concerningprayers-and-meditationsP&M §309: and the manifold revelationsthe-hidden-wordsHW §68: My stateepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: the peoplegleaningsGWB §202: all that pertaineth toprayers-and-meditationsP&M §199: splendor
SE rendered قَلَمِكَ (qalamik), الأَعْلى (al-ʾaʿlى) as “”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §148: Sublime PengleaningsGWB §493: Pen of Revelationkitab-i-iqanKIQ §155: Pen of Powerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §145: Thy most exalted Penwill-and-testamentW&T §13: climeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §255: from thegleaningsGWB §719: Our Penprayers-and-meditationsP&M §109: of Thy pen
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: stirring upfire-tabletFire §27: MovergleaningsGWB §358: move and have their beingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §268: complyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §795: lieth at the mercytablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §24: standethwill-and-testamentW&T §10: and senselessepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: stirred
SE rendered تُحَرِّكُهُ (tuḥarrikuh), إِصْبَعُ (ʾiṣbaʿ) as “”
SE rendered تُحَرِّكُهُ (tuḥarrikuh), إِصْبَعُ (ʾiṣbaʿ), إِرادَتِكَ (ʾirádatik) as “”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: seekgleaningsGWB §8: by virtue ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §126: goprayers-and-meditationsP&M §698: seekethtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §19: They have desiredthe-hidden-wordsHW §106: gaze uponwill-and-testamentW&T §38: meant thatepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §61: seek to
SE rendered أَسْرارِهِ (ʾasrárih), وَآثارِهِ (wáthárih) as “signs”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §201: satisfactiongleaningsGWB §587: Our impenetrable Mysterykitab-i-iqanKIQ §113: the divine mysteriesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §287: of my hearttablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §35: have concealedthe-hidden-wordsHW §95: self-satisfiedwill-and-testamentW&T §4: the Land of Mysteryepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §2: His mysteries
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: shining and luminous tokensgleaningsGWB §380: signkitab-i-iqanKIQ §213: ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §511: sink deepepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §243: writingsgleaningsGWB §322: influencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §137: hidden virtuesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §769: all past traces
This form usually rendered as “would” (2 occurrences)
perplexed 31% sore 13% how 13% astounded 6% bewildering 6% perplexity 6% amazement 6% marveled 6% lost 6% marvelled 6%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: astoundedgleaningsGWB §118: bewilderingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §283: How strangeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §134: marvelepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: sore perplexedgleaningsGWB §361: marveledkitab-i-iqanKIQ §250: marvelledprayers-and-meditationsP&M §343: would be bewildered
