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ORIENTAL TERMS
ORIENTAL TERMS
III
595
1. TRANSLITERATION OF ORIENTAL WORDS FREQUENTLY USED IN Bahá’í LITERATURE
‘Abé
Abédih ‘Abbés ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abdu’l-Hamid ‘Abdu’l-Husayn ‘Abdu’lláh Abhá Abu’l—Fadl ‘Adasiyyih Aflén Ad__hirbéyjén Afnán Agysén
‘Ahd
Ahmad Absé’i
Ahvéz
Akbar
‘Akká
‘Alé’
‘Ah’ ‘Ali-Muhammad Alláh-u-Abhá Alváḥ Alvéb—i-Salégin Amatu’l-Bahá Amin
Amir Amir-Nizém Amru’lláh Amul
Anzali
Aqé
Aqdas ‘Arabistén Asmá’ Astarébéd ‘Avégiq Ayédi
Azal
‘Azamat
‘ Aziz
Báb
Bábi Bábu’l-Báb Baghdád Bafii Bahá’í’ Bahá’u’lláh Bahíyyih Bahjí Balfiglistén Bandar-‘Abbés Béqir Baql’yyatu’lláh Bérfurfi§fl Bagrih Bétfim Bayén
Bayt
Big
Birjand Biglérét Bismi’lláh Buflléré Burfijird Bfigxihr Buglrfi’l’ Bugbrfiyih
Qihn’q
Dalé’il-i-Sab‘ih Dérfighih Dawlfi-Abéd D_habl'h Duzdéb
Faré’id
Férén
F armén FarréfiI—Béfli
Férs Farsafil Fath-‘ Ali Firdaws Firdawsi
Ganjih Gilén Gul Gulistén Gurgin
Habib
Hadim
Hadrat
Héjf
Hájí Mirzá Áqásí Héjj
Hamadén Ḥaram
Hasan
Hawdaj Haydar-‘Ah’ Haykal Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds Hijéz
Hijrat Himmat-Abéd HUJJ'at
Husayn
Ibréhl’m
t1
‘Ilm
Imém Imém—Jum‘ih Imém-Zédih iqén
Írán
‘Iráq
‘Iráqi ‘Iráq-i-‘Ajam
Iṣfahán ‘Iglqébéd IgIráqét I§htihérd Islém Ismé‘ih’yyih ‘Izzat
J alél Jamédiyu’l-Avval J amél Jamél—i—Mubérak Jamél-i-Qidam
J ésb
J ubbih
Ka‘bih Kad-K_hudé Kaléntar Kalimét Kamél Karand Karbilá Késhén Kagkfil Kawmu’s-Sa‘éyidih Kawmar Káẓim Káẓimayn Iglallglél K_hén K_héniqayn flayli Qfib flurésén Evy
Kirmén Kirménflxéh Kitáb-i—‘Ahd Kitáb-i-Aqdas Kitáb-i-Asmá’ Kitáb-i-Badi‘ Kitáb-i-iqz’m
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596
Kuléh Kurdistén
Léhijén Lér Lawh Lu‘ristén
Madrisih Mahbfibu’gl-flmhadé Mahd-i-‘Ulyé Méh-Kfi Mahmfid Maléyir Man-Yuzhiruhu’lláh Maqém Maréghih Marhasa
Marv
Masé’il
Mashhad Mash1’yyat Mashriqu’l-Acfilkér Masjid
Maydén Mézindarén Mihdl’
Mihréb
Ml’lén
Mi‘réj
Mfrzé Miglkl’n-Qalam Mu’aflcflin Mufti Muhammad Muhammad-‘Ali Muhammarih Muharram Mujtahid
Mulk
Mullá
Munirih
THE Bahá’í WORLD
Mustafz’l Mustagétil Muzaffari’d-Dl’n
Nabil Nabl’l-i—A‘zam Najaf Najaf-Abéd Néqidin Nasl'r Nésiri’d-Din Navvéb Naw—RL’lz Nayriz Niflépfir Nquih
Nfir
Pahlavf Pérén
Qédi Qédl’yén Qahqahih Qá’im
Qéjér Qalyén Qamgar Qas'r-i-flirin Qawl Qayyfim Qayyfimu’l-Asmá Qazvfn Qiblih Qfic_hén Quddfis Qudrat
Qum
Qur’án Qurbén Qurratu’l-‘Ayn
9
Rafsanjén Rahl’m Rahmén Rahmat Ra’is Ramadén Rasht Rawhém’ Riḍván Rfihu’lláh
Sabzivér Sadratu’l-Muntahé Séhibu’z-Zamén Sahifatu’l-Ḥaramayn Sa‘id
Salsabil Samarqand Sangsar
Séri
Saysén
Sha‘bén
flláh
fllahid Shahm1’rzzid flláhrfid
fllaraf
_S_f_lari‘ah
fiaylii Sjayfil-Tabarsi fiaylilu’l-Islém fili‘ah (S_1_n"ih) §_h1’réz
Quigltar Simnén
Sistén Sl’yéh-Qél Siyyid
Stiff
Sulaymén Sulgén Sulgén-Abéd
Sulgénu‘fl—flluhadé’ Sunm’ Sflratu’l-Haykal Sfirih
Sfiriy-i-Damm Sfiriy-i-Cfilusn Sfiriy-i-Ra’l’s Sfiriy~i-$abr
Tabarsf Tabn’z Táhirih Tajalll’yét Tékur Taql’ Tarézét Tarbiyat Tésfland Tawhfd T_hurayyé Ṭihrán Tfimén Turkistán
‘Ulamé Urfimfyyih ‘Ummén
Vahid
Vall’
Vali-‘Ahd
Varqé
Vazir (also Vizfr)
Yé-Bahá’u’l-Abhá Yaḥyá Yazd
Zanjén Zarand Zaynu’l-Muqarrabl’n
ORIENTAL TERMS
597
2. GUIDE TO TRANSLITERATION AND PRONUNCIATION OF THE PERSIAN ALPHABET
‘ ..... é . kh \gv' ..... b E ..... d ‘4 ..... p L) .Q m ...... t I). ...... r \ZJ ..... th ..... z
a...asin i...as(e)in
account best
a...asin i...as(ee)in arm meet
u...as(o)in aw...asin short mown
l’i ...as(oo)in moon
The ‘1” added to the name of a town signifies ‘belonging to’. Thus §h1’rézi means native of s_ln’réz.
3. NOTES ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF PERSIAN WORDS
The emphasis in Persian words is more or less evenly distributed, each syllable being equally stressed as in French. For example, do not say Tab riz or Tabarsz’; stay as long on one syllable as on the next; Tabrl’z; Tabarsf. (While there are many exceptions to this rule, it is the most generally correct method of treating the question of stress.)
A frequent mistake is the failure to distinguish between broad and flat ‘a’s.’ This differentiation makes the language especially musical and should be observed: in the word Afnán, for example, pronounce the first ‘a’ as in account.
and the second syllable to rhyme with on. Americans are apt to pronounce short ‘a’ plus ‘r’ like the verb form are; this is a mistake; ‘ar’ should be pronounced as in the word hurry—cf. Tarbiyat.
The same differentiation should be observed in the case of long and short ‘i’ and long and short ‘u’. As the guide to the transliteration indicates, short ‘i’ is like ‘6’ in best, and long ‘1” like ‘ee’ in meet; for example, Ibréhim is pronounced Eb-réheem; Islém is Ess-lahm. Short ‘u’ being like ‘0’ in short, and long ‘6’ like ‘00’ in moon, the following would be pronounced:
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Quddfis— Qod-dooss; foroosh.
Pronounce ‘aw’ to rhyme with low, or mown; Naw-Rl’iz is No—Rooz.
The following consonants may be pronounced like 2: Q, 2, ;, cl.
The following consonants may be pronounced like 55: m, s, s.
Z_h is pronounced like the ‘s’ in pleasure. El] is pronounced like ‘ch’ in Scottish loch 0r Germannacht. Do not pronounce itas‘k‘. Westerners often experience difficulty pronouncing ‘g_h’ and ‘q’; a guttural French ‘r’ will serve here; otherwise use hard ‘g’ as in good.
H and 1), approximately like the English aspirate ‘h’, should never be dropped. Tihran is Teh-ron; madrisih is mad-res—seh; Mihrab is Meh-rob.
Barfurfifl—Bar THE BAHA‘l WORLD
In the case of double letters pronounce each separately: ‘Ab-bas.
The character transliterated (’) represents a pause; it is not unlike the initial sound made in pronouncing such a word as every. The word Bahá’í is phonetically as follows: ‘a’ as in account; ‘a’ as in hall; (’), pause; ‘f’as ee in meet.
The character transliterated (‘) may also be treated as a pause.
N.B. As Persian often indicates no vowel sounds and as its pronunciation differs in different localities throughout Persia and the Near East as well as among individuals in any given locality, a uniform system of transliteration such as the above, which is in use by Bahá’í communities all over the world, is indispensable to the student.
Calligraphicarrangementofpar!Oftl1eopeningsentenceofthe Will and Testamentof‘Abdu’l-Bahá: ‘All Praise to Him Who, by the Shield oins Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause.’
[Page 599]
ORIENTAL TERMS
599
4. DEFINITIONS OF SOME OF THE ORIENTAL TERMS USED IN Bahá’í LITERATURE
Ab: Father.
Abé, Abl’l, Abl’: Father of.
‘Abé: Cloak or mantle.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Servant of Baha.
Abhá: Most Glorious.
Ad_hén: Muslim call to prayer.
Adib: literally ‘the learned’.
Afnán: literally ‘twigs’. Denotes the relations of the Báb.
Aghsan: literally ‘branches’. Denotes sons and gale descendants of Baha’u’llah.
A.H.: ‘Anno Hejirae’. Year of Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina, and the beginning of the Muslim era.
‘Ahd: Covenant.
Ahsanu’l-Qisas: One of the commentaries on the Qur’án revealed by the Báb, on the Sfirih of Joseph, translated by Táhirih.
Akbar: ‘Greater’, ‘greatest’. (See ‘Kabir’.)
A‘lé: ‘The Most Exalted One’, a title of the Bab.
‘Ala’: ‘Loftiness’. Nineteenth month of the Bach" calendar.
‘Ah’: The first Imam, the rightful successor of Muhammad; also the fourth Caliph.
Allah: ‘God’.
Alláh-u—Abhá: ‘God is All-Glorious’. The Greatest Name, adopted during the period of Baha’u’llah’s exile in Adrianople as a greeting among Bahá’ís.1
Alláh-u—Akbar: ‘God is the Most Great’. Superseded by ‘Alláh-u-Abhá’ during the Adrianople period.2
Al-Madi’nah: The city to which Muhammad migrated. (See ‘A.H.’)
Amin: literally ‘the trusted’. Trustee.
Aml’r: ‘Prince’, ‘ruler’, ‘commander’, ‘governor’.
Aqé: ‘Master’. Title given by Bahá’u’lláh to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Also ‘Mister’ when preceding a name.
Aqdas: ‘The Most Holy’.
Asmá: ‘Names’. Ninth month of the Badl" calendar.
Ayyém: (See Ha).
A‘zam: ‘The greatest’.
‘Azamat: ‘Grandeur’. Fourth month of the
‘ God Passes By, p. 176. 2 ibid., p. 18.
Each" calendar.
Bab: ‘Gate’. Title assumed by Mirzá ‘AliMuhammad, after the declaration of His Mission in Shi’réz in May 1844 A.D.
Bábl’: Follower of the Báb.
Babu’l-Bab: ‘The Gate of the Gate’. Title of Mullá Husayn, the first Letter of the Living.
Badl": literally ‘the wonderful’.
Bahá: ‘Glory’, ‘splendour’, ‘light’. Title by which Bahá’u’lláh (Mirza Husayn-‘Alf) is designated. First month of the Bath" calendar.
Bahá’í: Follower of Bahá’u’lláh.
Bahá’u’l-Abhá: ‘The Glory of the Most Glorious’.
Bahá’u’lláh: ‘The Glory of God’. Title of Mirza Husayn-‘Ali; born Tihran, Persia, 12 Nov. 1817; ascended Bahjl’, Palestine (now Israel), 29 May 1892.
Bahjí: literally ‘delight’. Denotes that part of the Plain of ‘Akká (Israel) where the Shrine and the Mansion of Baha’u’llah are situated.
Bani-Héflim: The family from which Muhammad was descended.
Baqiyyatu’llah: ‘Remnant of God’; title applied both to the Báb and to Bahá’u’lláh.
Bayan: ‘Exposition’, ‘explanation’. Title given by the Bath to His Revelation, and to two of His Writings, one in Persian the other in Arabic.
Baytu’I—‘AdI-i-A‘zam: The Universal House of Justice.
Big: Honorary title; lower title than Khan.
Biflérét: literally ‘Glad tidings’. Title of one of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh.
Caravansary (also ‘caravanserai‘, ‘caravansera’): An inn for caravans.
Dérl’xghih: ‘High constable’.
Dawlfi: ‘State’, ‘government’.
D_hi’b: ‘The Wolf’, an appellation applied by Bahá’u’lláh to flayfli Muhammad-Béqir. @ikr: ‘Remembrance’, ‘commemoration’, ‘mention’; praise or glorification of God; recital of His Names; religious exercise or
ceremony; (plural ad_hkér).
El-Abhá: Properly, al-Abhá, Glorious’.
Farman: ‘Order’, ‘command’, ‘royal decree’.
Farrafl: ‘Footman’, ‘lictor’, ‘attendant’.
‘The Most
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Farréfl-Béfili: The head-farrégh.
Farsalgh: Unit of measurement. Approximately three miles or five kilometres.
Fatvé: Sentence or judgement by Muslim muftl’.
@usan: ‘Branch’. Son or male descendant of Bahá’u’lláh.
H51, (Days of): Ayyém-i-Hé. The Intercalary Days, so named by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kirribi-Aqdas, where He also ordained that they should immediately precede the month of ‘Alé’, i.e. the month of fasting which closes the Bahá’í’ year. Every fourth year the number of the Intercalary Days is raised from four to five.
Hadifii: Tradition. The whole body of the sacred tradition of the Muslims is called the hadit_h. (Plural ahédl’m.)
Hadrat: literally ‘threshold’. Courtesy title sometimes translated as ‘His Holiness’.
Hájí: A Muslim who has performed the pi]grimage to Mecca.
Ḥaram-i—Aqdas: The Most Holy Sanctuary, a designation given by the Guardian to the north-western quadrant of the garden surrounding the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh.
Hawdaj (Howdah): A litter carried by a camel, mule, horse or elephant for travelling purposes.
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds: ‘The Sacred Fold’, official title designating headquarters of Bahá’í’ administrative activity.
Hijrat (also ‘Hijra’, ‘Hegira’.): literally ‘Migration’. The basis of Islamic chronology. The date of Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina.
Huql’lqu’lláh: ‘Right of God’; payment by believers instituted in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
Husaym’yyih: Place where martyrdom of Husayn is mourned, or where Muslim passion plays may be presented. Designation given by Shi‘ahs to Bahá’u’lláh’s Most Great House in Baghdád, forcibly occupied by them.
Ibn: ‘Son’.
Tl: ‘Clan’.
‘llm: ‘Knowledge’. Twelfth month of the Badf‘ calendar.
Imém: Title of the twelve Shi‘ah successors of Muhammad. Also applied to Muslim religious leaders.
Imém-Jum‘ih: Chief of the mullés, who recites the Friday prayers for the sovereign.
THE Bahá’í WORLD
Imém—Zédih: Descendant of an Imém or his shrine.
Inshé’alláh: ‘If God wills it’.
lqén: literally ‘certitude’. The title of Bahá’u’lláh’s Epistle to one of the uncles of the Báb.
Igiréqét: literally ‘splendours’. Title of one of the Tablets Of Bahá’u’lláh.
Isréfil: The angel whose function is to sound the trumpet on the Day of Judgement.
‘Izzat: ‘Might’. Tenth month of the Badf‘ calendar.
Jéhiliyyih: The dark age of ignorance among the Arabs before the appearance of Muhammad.
Jalél: ‘Glory’. Second month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Jamél: ‘Beauty’. Third month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Jamél-i-Mubérak: literally ‘the Beauty’, applied to Bahá’u’lláh. JaméI-i-Qidam: literally ‘the Ancient Beauty’,
applied to Bahá’u’lláh.
Jihéd: Holy war, as specified in Qur’án.
Jináb: Courtesy title sometimes translated ‘His Honour’.
Jubbih: An outer coat.
Ka‘bih: Ancient shrine at Mecca. Now recognized as the most holy shrine of Islém.
Kabir: literally ‘great’. (See ‘Akbar’.)
Kad-k_hudé: Chief of a ward or parish in a town; headman of a Village.
Kaléntar: ‘Mayor’.
Kalim: ‘One who discourses’.
Kalimu’lláh: ‘One Who converses with God’. Title given to Moses in the Islamic dispensation.
Kalimét: ‘Words’. Seventh month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Kamél: ‘Perfection’. Eight month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Karbilá’i’: A Muslim who has performed the pilgrimage to Karbilá.
Kawmar: A river in Paradise, whence all the other rivers derive their source.
Khádimu’lláh: ‘Servant of God’. Title of Mirzá Aqé Jén.‘
Elfin: ‘Prince’, ‘lord’, ‘nobleman’, ‘chieftain’.
K_hén: similar to a caravansary.
Qidr: literally ‘The Green One’. Said to have lived at the time of Abraham, drank from the
Blessed
‘Gad Passes By, p. 115.
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ORIENTAL TERMS
fountain of life, and is called its custodian. He is also said to symbolize the true guide. His name does not occur in the Qur’án, but some commentators identify him with the mysterious personage referred to in Qur’án 18:59—81.
K_hutbih: Sermon delivered on Fridays at noon in Islamic religion.
Kitáb: ‘Book’.
Kitáb-i-Aqdas: literally ‘The Most Holy Book’. Title of Bahá’u’lláh’s Book of Laws.
Kuléh: The Persian lambskin hat worn by government employees and civilians.
Madrisih: ‘Seminary’, ‘school’, ‘religious college’.
Man-Yuzhiruhu’lláh: ‘He Whom God will make manifest’. The title given by the Báb to the Promised One.
Marhabé: ‘Bravo! Well done!’
Masé’il: ‘Questions’. Fifteenth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Maghadx’: A Muslim who has performed the pilgrimage to Maghad.
Mafliyyat: ‘Will’. Eleventh month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Mashriqu’l-Atflkér: literally ‘the dawning place of the praise of God’. Title designating Bahá’í Houses of Worship.
Masjid: Mosque; Muslim place of worship.
Maydén: A square or open place.
Mihgli’: Title of the Manifestation expected by Muslims.
Mihréb: The principal place in a mosque where the Imém prays with his face turned towards Mecca.
Mi‘réj: ‘Ascent’. Used with reference Muhammad’s ascension to heaven.
Mirzá: A contraction of ‘Amir—Zédih’, meaning son of Amir. When affixed to a name it signifies prince; when prefixed, simply mister.
Miflkl’n-Qalam: literally ‘the musk-scented pen’. Title applied to a famed Bahá’í calligraphist.
Mu’aghd_hin: The one who sounds the Aflién, the Muslim call to prayer.
Mufti: Expounder of Muslim law; gives a fatvé or sentence on a point of religious jurisprudence.
Muharram: First month of the Muslim year, the first ten days of which are observed by shi‘ahs as part of their mourning period for the Iméms. The tenth day, ‘Aflt’iré’, is the
601
day of the martyrdom of Husayn.
Mulk: ‘Dominion’. Eighteenth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Mujtahid: Muslim doctor-of—law. Most of the mujtahids of Persia have received their diplomas from the most eminent jurists of Karbilá and Najaf.
Mullá: Muslim priest.
Mustaghém: ‘He Who is invoked’, the numerical Educ of which has been assigned by the Báb as the limit of the time fixed for the advent of the promised Manifestation.
Mutisarrif: ‘Governor’.
Nabil: ‘Learned’, ‘noble’.
Naw-Ri’iz: ‘New Day’. Name applied to the Bahá’í New Year’s Day; according to the Persian calendar the day on which the sun enters Aries.
Nuqtih: ‘Point’.
Nfir: ‘Light’. Fifth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Pahlavén: ‘Athlete’, ‘champion’; term applied to brave and muscular men.
Péflé: Honorary title formerly given to officers of high rank in Turkey.
Piglkish: ‘Present’, ‘tip’, ‘douceur’.
Qédi: ‘Judge’; civil, criminal and ecclesiastical.
Qá’im: ‘He Who shall arise’. Title designating the Promised One of Islém.
Qalyén: A pipe for smoking through water.
Qawl: ‘Speech’. Fourteenth month of the Badf‘ calendar.
Qiblih: ‘Point of Adoration’; prayer—direction toward which the faithful turn in prayer. The Most Holy Tomb of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjl’ is ‘the Heart and Qiblih of the Bahá’í’ world’.l
Qurbén: ‘Sacrifice’.
Qudrat: ‘Power’. Thirteenth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Qur’án: ‘The Reading’; ‘that which ought to be read’. The Book revealed to Muhammad. Rabbi—i—A‘lé: ‘Exalted Lord’. One of the
designations of the Báb.
Rahmat: ‘Mercy’. Sixth month of the Badf‘ calendar.
Ra’is: ‘President’, ‘head’. Lawh-i-Ra’l’s, a Tablet addressed to the Prime Minister of Turkey by Bahá’u’lláh.
Riḍván: ‘Paradise’; also the name of the custodian of Paradise. The holiest and most significant of all Bahá’í festivals commemorating Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration of
1God Passes By, pp. 110, 277.
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His Mission to His companions in 1863, a twelve-day period beginning on 21 April and celebrated annually.
Sadratu’l-Muntahé: The Divine Lote Tree; the Tree beyond which there is no passing.
Sadr-i-A‘mm: ‘Prime Minister’.
Séhibu’z-Zaman: ‘Lord of the Age’; one of the titles of the promised Qa’im.
Salém: ‘Peace’, ‘salutation’. Muslim greeting. Word used to end a thesis.
Salsabi]: A fountain of Paradise.
Samandar: literally ‘the phoenix’.
Sarkar-Aqé: literally ‘The Honourable Master’, applied to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
fifth: ‘King’, especially of Persia.
fliéh-Bahrém: World Saviour and Promised One of the Zoroastrians.Fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh.
Shah1’d: ‘Martyr‘. Plural of martyr is ‘Shuhadé’.
sharaf: ‘Honour’. Sixteenth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
flari‘ah, Silari‘at: Muslim canonical law. The law.
fiath: Venerable old man; man of authority;
elder, chief, professor, superior of a dervish order, etc.
fliayfli’: School founded by fliale—Ahmadi-Ahsé’i. Among his doctrines, in addition to the imminent dual Advent, was that the Prophet Muhammad’s material body did not ascend on the night of the Mi‘raj.
Shaykhu’l-Islém: Head of religious court, appointed to every large city by the Shah.
Sh1"ah, fili‘ih, Shi’ite: Party (of ‘AIi). Partisan of ‘Ali and of his descendants as the sole lawful ‘Vicars of the Prophet’, The Shi‘ahs reject the first three Caliphs, believing that the successorship in Islam belonged rightfully to ‘Ali (first Imém and fourth Caliph) and to his descendants by divine right. Originally, the successorship was the vital point of difference, and Islam was divided because Muhammad’s (albeit verbal) appointment of ‘Ali was disregarded.
Sirét: literally ‘bridge’ or ‘path’; denotes the religion of God.
Siyah-(llél: Black Pit in Ṭihrán where, in August 1852, Bahá’u’lláh was chained in the darkness three flights of stairs underground, with some 150 thieves and assassins. Here He received the first intimations of His world Mission. Holiest place in Persia’s capital.
THE Bahá’í WORLD
Siyyid: Descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
Stiff: Mystics or mystical doctrine in Islam.
Sultan: ‘Sovereignty’. Seventeenth month of the Badi‘ calendar.
Sunni, Sunnite: From ‘Sunna’ (the Way or Practice of the Prophet, as reported in the hadigh.) By far the largest sect of Islam, this includes the four so—called orthodox sects: Hanbalites, Hanafites, Malikites, Shafiites.
Sfirih: Name of the chapters of the Qur’án.
Sfiriy-i-Mulfik: ‘Sl’irih of Kings’; Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in Adrianople.
T51: Letter ‘T’ standing for Tihran.
Téj: literally ‘crown’; tall felt headdress adopted by Bahá’u’lláh in 1863, on the day of His departure from His Most Holy House.
Tajalh’yét: literally ‘effulgences’. Title ofone of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh.
Takyih: Religious establishment; usual place of observance of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn.
Tarézét: literally ‘ornaments’. Title of one of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh.
Tfimén: Unit of Iranian currency.
‘Ulamé: Plural of ‘one who knows’; ‘learned’, ‘a scholar’.
‘Urvatu’l-Vumqa: literally ‘the strongest handle’; symbolic of the Faith of God.
Véhid: 1. A ‘unity’ or section of the Bayan. The Persian Bayan consists of nine Véhids of nineteen chapters each, except the last, which has only ten chapters. 2. The eighteen Letters of the Living (constituting the Báb’s first disciples) and the Báb Himself. 3. Each cycle of nineteen years in the Badi‘ calendar. The word, signifying unity, symbolizes the unity of God. The numerical values of the letters of this word total nineteen.
Vahl’d: ‘Unique’.
Véli: ‘Governor’.
Vaii: ‘Guardian’.
Vali-‘Ahd: ‘heir to the throne’.
Varaqiy—i-‘Ulyé: literally ‘the Most Exalted Leaf', applied to Bahá’íyyih (Bahíyyih) Khánum, sister of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.‘
Varqé: literally ‘the dove’.
Vazir (Vizir, Vizier): Minister of State. Grand Vazir; Prime Minister.
Viléyat: ‘Guardianship’.
‘ The Bahá’í World, Vol. V, p. 205; ‘Genealogy of Bahá’u’lláh’. ‘
[Page 603]
ORIENTALTERMS 603
Waqf: Muslim endowments; in Persia, the Zaynu’l-Muqarrabl’n: literally ‘the Ornament
landed property of the expected Imém. Of the favoured‘. Yé: ‘O’—e.g., Yé Bahá’u’l-Abhá (O Thou the Zamzam: Sacred well within the precincts of Glory of the Most Glorious!) the Great Mosque at Mecca. Though salty, Zédih: ‘Son‘. its water is much esteemed for pious uses,
Zawré’: A term signifying Baghdád. such as ablutions, and drinking after a fast.
Calligraphic arrangement by Miflkz’n-Qalam Of the invocation: ‘Praise be to God, the Exalted, the Beloved!’
