Prayers and Meditations Part 26

CLXV: "FROM THE SWEET-SCENTED STREAMS OF THINE ETERNITY..."

From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my G.o.d, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pa.s.s over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of Thy good-pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Day-Star of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my G.o.d!

Potent art Thou to do what pleasest Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Highest.

CLXVI: "O THOU WHOSE FACE IS THE OBJECT OF MY ADORATION,..."

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants.

Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next.

Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no G.o.d but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

CLXVII: "O MY G.o.d! THIS IS THY SERVANT AND THE SON OF..."

O my G.o.d! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and set his face towards Thee, wholly detached from all except Thee. Thou art, verily, of those who show mercy the most merciful.

Deal with him, O Thou Who forgivest the sins of men and concealest their faults, as beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy grace.

Grant him admission within the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy that was before the foundation of earth and heaven. There is no G.o.d but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Let him, then, repeat six times the greeting "Allah-u-Abha," and then repeat nineteen times each of the following verses:

We all, verily, wors.h.i.+p G.o.d.

We all, verily, bow down before G.o.d.

We all, verily, are devoted unto G.o.d.

We all, verily, give praise unto G.o.d.

We all, verily, yield thanks unto G.o.d.

We all, verily, are patient in G.o.d.

(If the dead be a woman, let him say:

This is Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden, etc....)

_Prayer for the Dead._

CLXVIII: "O MY LORD! MAKE THY BEAUTY TO BE MY FOOD, AND..."

O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee.

Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.

CLXIX: "GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY G.o.d! ABASE NOT HIM..."

Glory be to Thee, O Lord my G.o.d! Abase not him whom Thou hast exalted through the power of Thine everlasting sovereignty, and remove not far from Thee him whom Thou hast caused to enter the tabernacle of Thine eternity. Wilt Thou cast away, O my G.o.d, him whom Thou hast overshadowed with Thy Lords.h.i.+p, and wilt Thou turn away from Thee, O my Desire, him to whom Thou hast been a refuge? Canst Thou degrade him whom Thou hast uplifted, or forget him whom Thou didst enable to remember Thee?

Glorified, immensely glorified art Thou! Thou art He Who from everlasting hath been the King of the entire creation and its Prime Mover, and Thou wilt to everlasting remain the Lord of all created things and their Ordainer. Glorified art Thou, O my G.o.d! If Thou ceasest to be merciful unto Thy servants, who, then, will show mercy unto them; and if Thou refusest to succor Thy loved ones, who is there that can succor them?

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou! Thou art adored in Thy truth, and Thee do we all, verily, wors.h.i.+p; and Thou art manifest in Thy justice, and to Thee do we all, verily, bear witness. Thou art, in truth, beloved in Thy grace. No G.o.d is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

CLXX: "THY NAME IS MY HEALING, O MY G.o.d, AND REMEMBRANCE..."

Thy name is my healing, O my G.o.d, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy.

Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

CLXXI: "O MY G.o.d, MY MASTER, THE GOAL OF MY DESIRE!..."