A question on the Long Healing Prayer
andrew
In my Bahai studies I have come upon a few things which I don't quite
understand and which are troubling me. If you can help with the two
questions below I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
+++++++++
Question 1.
In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
"I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the
wicked!"
What is the accepted interpretation of this? Do anyone know of some other
reference which might help?
+++++++++
Question 2.
In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
.. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self with
Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
+++++++++
I look forward to a reply.
Suzanne Gerstner
> In my Bahai studies I have come upon a few things which I don't quite
> understand and which are troubling me. If you can help with the two
> questions below I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
Dear Andrew,
Perhaps if you would say what it is which is troubling you about these
passages, it would be helpful in our answering your questions.
>
> +++++++++
>
> Question 1.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> "I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the
> wicked!"
>
> What is the accepted interpretation of this? Do anyone know of some other
> reference which might help?
I have done a search on this phrase in my Baha'i search engine, and the
phrase only comes up in the Long Healing Prayer. There is no explanation
offered. My own understanding, however, is that "slaying the lovers" is in
a figurative sense, and not a literal one. It means allowing them to
suffer. There are passages in the Writings which talk about the spiritual
benefits of suffering. For instance, 'Abdu'l-Baha says:
"`The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The
more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the
harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it
of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty
affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete
detachment. His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness.
Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature
him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men
have suffered most.'
`... `Through suffering he will attain to an eternal happiness which nothing
can take from him. The apostles of Christ suffered: they attained eternal
happiness.' ...- `To attain eternal happiness one must suffer. He who has
reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will
vanish.'
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, Pages: 178-179)
> +++++++++
>
> Question 2.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> .. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self
with
> Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
> sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
>
> What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
>
> +++++++++
I don't think we have an "official" explanation of this either. It's often
not obvious what exactly the Writings are talking about. That's why we are
supposed to reflect and meditate on them. However, these Writings are
written in language of the heart, and often our hearts understand what is
being said even when our minds don't.
Once again, my own understanding of the word "Yea!" is that it the
affirmative. It is the opposite of "nay". It means "Yes! Your prayers
have been answered. The promised One has come. He has stepped out from
behind the veil of concealment. He has been revealed to your eyes.
Rejoice!"
Anyway, that's what I get from it.
Warmest regards,
Suzanne Gerstner
Anne Furlong
> Question 1.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> "I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the
> wicked!"
>
> Question 2.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> .. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self with
> Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
> sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
>
> What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
I think Suzanne has offered some beautiful readings of these lines. With your
indulgence, I would like to add a couple of thoughts.
There are rarely "official" interpretations of specific verses of the Writings,
unless these express laws or mandate specific actions. In those cases, either
the Central Figures of the Faith (the Bab, Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha or Shoghi
Effendi) have provided clarification or rulings by answering questions about the
individual verses; or guidance and clarification have been issued by the
Universal House of Justice.
However, for the more mystical aspects of the Writings, there are rarely
"official" readings, precisely because they will have meanings which are
universally intended, and meanings which are individually intended. That is,
there will be meanings in these verses which are more or less universal; and
meanings which are for an individual reader at an individual time. There are
Baha'i scholars who can talk very sensitively about the universal meanings --
Nader Saiedi, eg, in Logos and Civilisation, brilliantly illuminates some of
these universal meanings of central Texts -- and Baha'i writers who can convey
what they themselves have found. In both cases, however, their results can be
accepted or not, since they are not "official" -- ie, sanctioned and
authoritative.
As for the first of the two verses you quote, let me add my own response:
One of the most fundamental truths we are asked to accept about God is that "He
doeth as He doeth". It is the central reality of the Divine Unity, and probably
one of the most challenging concepts we are asked to grapple with. This verse
has always been one of my favourites in the Long Healing Prayer, precisely
because it expresses that aspect of Divine Unity -- He doeth as He doeth, and
what recourse have we? as 'Abdu'l-Baha puts it -- by making explicit the fact
that God may give or withhold His grace as He desires.
That's one thing. Here's another:
God is the "God of grace to the wicked". Who needs grace more than the wicked?
and who would be most likely to withhold grace from them? those of us without
the Knowledge, Power and Wisdom to know what their souls desperately need? or
the One Who made them, and Who is closer than their own life vein?
And still further:
Recall that this is a Healing Prayer, and that bodily and spiritual healing are
complementary; recall also how wretched we feel when we are desperately ill, and
how we long to be relieved of our suffering. Yet here we are told that God
gives "grace to the wicked", and that He "slays the lovers", so we know that our
suffering is a mark of the love we have for God, and is the fire through which
we approach Him.
There are many related passages in the Writings. There is the passage about the
transformation of fire by iron: how the heat and flames bring the cold, hard,
immutable metal into a condition in which it shares virtually all the attributes
of the fire -- heat, flame, mutability -- and how, as a result of its immersion
in the flames, it becomes something entirely new and beautiful.
Similarly, there are many passages in the Writings which make clear the
connection between love and suffering, love and sacrifice. For God to give
grace to the wicked may -- and this is just my reading -- be one way of giving
them sufficient strength to undergo the suffering that can lead to their
transformation. For the lovers, however, who yearn to yield up their lives in
the path of the beloved, God really is He Who "slayest the lovers", who gives
His loved ones what they desire -- the chance to lay down their lives in His
path.
But for me, I confess, this passage links up with one of my most cherished
passages in the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha:
O thou who art turning thy face towards God? Close thine eyes to all things
else, and open them to the realm of the All-Glorious.
Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him
alone.
With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a
hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with
a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief.
He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we?
He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineith what He pleaseth.
Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in
the All-Merciful Lord.
The Long Healing Prayer is a prayer of "trust in the All-Merciful Lord", and a
"confession" of our helplessness, and our utter reliance on God. In that
context, the epithets or names of God are expressions of our relationship to God
as much as they are revelations of His nature. And in that context, this verse
makes sense to me.
As for the second, yes, I have always read that as "affirmation" -- and
pronounced it to rhyme with "nay", which is the opposite term.
I hope this is not too rambling!
Regards,
Anne Furlong
afur...@upei.ca
Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
Matt Menge
> In my Bahai studies I have come upon a few things which I don't quite
> understand and which are troubling me. If you can help with the two
> questions below I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
>
> +++++++++
>
> Question 1.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> "I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the
> wicked!"
>
> What is the accepted interpretation of this? Do anyone know of some other
> reference which might help?
I think a good reference may be the Seven Valleys. The seventh valley
is called "This station is the dying from self and the living in God,
the being poor in self and rich in the Desired One." This is a kind
of high spiritual station where one is so overwhelmed by God, that
one's self becomes unimportant. The Seven Valleys discusses this
subject in detail.
>
> +++++++++
>
> Question 2.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> .. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self with
> Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
> sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
>
> What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
To me this means that God is not only the one who summons us. He is
also the one who responds to the summons! To put it in another way,
God is not only the one who sends us the Prophets and Manifestations
for guidance. He is also the one who leads us to them, so that we
accept their guidance.
Of course this is all my opinion.
Best Regards,
Matt
Andrew
<suzanne....@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>> In my Bahai studies I have come upon a few things which I don't quite
>> understand and which are troubling me. If you can help with the two
>> questions below I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
>
>
>Dear Andrew,
>
>Perhaps if you would say what it is which is troubling you about these
>passages, it would be helpful in our answering your questions.
Possibly "trouble" is the wrong word here, maybe I should have chosen
another. I belive ( and you may have something to say about this )
that to be in a prayfull state is to be submissive before God.
However I also belive that in prayer one should also be confident. I
don't think that one can be confident in our communication with God if
we are using words we don't understand the meaning of. That is why I
have asked the question. The prayer later contains the words . . .
and by Thy Name, cloaked with the garment of affliction . . . could
this be the clue do you think?
I had wondered if the word "Yea" might have come from the same source
as the Esperanto word "Jen" which is pronounced "Yen" and which means
"Behold". That would make sense to me, however I posed the question
in the hope that a real Bahai might have the real answer.
>
>Warmest regards,
>
>Suzanne Gerstner
>
>
I thank you for you help. Is there anyone else out there with
anything to offer?
Regards, Andrew :-)
>
>
John R MacLeod
I have no idea of Question 1 but on question 2 I have an idea (not actually
my own - most of what follows I got from Susan Maneck on arb/trb and I thank
her for this).
>
> Question 2.
>
> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
> .. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self
with
> Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
> sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
>
> What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
I think it is a straightforward 'Yes' and refers to the great mythical(?)
Covenant of Alast (actually a pre-Baha'i story but often referred to by
Baha'u'llah). In this story God, before existence began, summoned all the
humans (and all the djinn) who would ever exist and demanded "Am I not your
Lord?" In most versions the assembled beings-to-be answer 'Yes' but in
this version God answers His own question on our behalf.
It's a lovely story. For me it represents the harmony of Science of
Religion. I don't think there are many modern scientists who would dispute
that most of what is important about us is the result of simply being human
and was determined aeons before we as individuals came into being. Also I
feel that one of the characteristics of humans (and some other animals and
probably djinn though I have never met any) is that we do serve a higher
cause whether we like it or not. It may just be family, or tribe, or
charity, political party or religion but a human who doesn't serve something
they feel is greater than themselves is, in my view, mentally unbalanced.
It may, as Susan pointed out, not be a coincidence that it is in the healing
prayer that God answers on our behalf - what could be more loving than to do
for us what we should have done for ourselves?
Suzanne Gerstner
> Possibly "trouble" is the wrong word here, maybe I should have chosen
> another. I belive ( and you may have something to say about this ) that to
> be in a prayfull state is to be submissive before God. However I also
> belive that in prayer one should also be confident. don't think that one
> can be confident in our communication with God if we are using words we
> don't understand the meaning of. That is why I have asked the
> question. The prayer later contains the words . . . and by Thy Name,
> cloaked with the garment of affliction . . . could this be the clue do you
> think?
Dear Andrew,
I don't know if you are a Baha'i or not, but if you are, I think you can be
confident if you are using the words of Baha'u'llah that you are
communicating with God. You are communicating that you are submissive to
Him, as you say. You are communicating that you trust that every word in
the Writings of Baha'u'llah (whether your head understands it or not) is the
word of God, and it is having an effect on your soul. It is training you to
see with spiritual eyes, and to understand the worlds of God, and to know
what things it is worthy to pray for. The Long Healing Prayer is very
powerful because it tells us much about God and His relationship with us.
We may think that physical health, and having everything go well for us and
our families in this life is the best thing for us, and sometimes it is.
But sometimes it isn't. Having confidence in God means being aware that
He's the One who knows what we need for our own spiritual perfecting -- and
our spiritual perfecting is what we are in this world to accomplish. We are
here to "carry forward an ever advancing civilization" and to develop our
"spiritual limbs and members" so that we will be able to progress rapidly in
the next world. So sometimes our outer world needs to fall apart for our
inner world to blossom. God knows when this needs to happen, and how it
should happen, and we can be "confident", if this does happen, that it is
for the good. It is a bounty and a blessing. (How different this is from
what most people imagine!)
The Long Healing Prayer speaks of the beauty, deep love, and caring of God:
O Thou the best Lover; O Thou my soul; O Thou the compassionate One; O Thou
the generous One, O Thou the perfecting One etc. This last title:
perfecting one, can be accomplished by things which don't actually feel so
nice at all. So you also have passages about how God is willing to have us
suffer to reach this perfection: "O Thou ravager"; "O Thou who slayest the
lovers;" "cloaked with the garment of afflictions" (as you quote). My
dictionary says that "ravage" means: "to bring heavy destruction on, to
devastate." So God is willing sometimes to devastate our outer lives in
this world. This sounds cruel and terrible, but it is just the opposite.
Baha'u'llah says:
"O SON OF MAN! My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and
vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou
mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command
unto thee, do thou observe it."
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, Page: 51)
This doesn't mean that we should accept the bad things in life without
struggling to overcome them. It just means that when it happens, and
nothing can be done, we should know that it is having a positive effect on
us in some unforeseen way.
By the way, you don't have to be a Baha'i to be God's lover, and to have
your outer life devastated. Baha'u'llah says that we were all created by
God, and He loves us all. So there is no escape from being perfected! :-)
> >> Question 2.
> >> In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
> >> .. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own
Self
> >with
> >> Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when
Thy
> >> sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
> >> What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
> >> +++++++++
>>
> I had wondered if the word "Yea" might have come from the same source as
> the Esperanto word "Jen" which is pronounced "Yen" and which means
> "Behold". That would make sense to me, however I posed the question in
the
> hope that a real Bahai might have the real answer.
Well, I'm not sure what your definition of a "real Baha'i" is, but I am
trying. ;-)
My dictionary says "yea" means: "1. Yes; aye. 2. Indeed; truly. n. 1. An
affirmative statement or vote. 2. One who votes affirmatively."
Howevery, you don't need to look in a dictionary to know what the standard
meaning of words is to get a feel for what a particular passage means. I
think if you meditate and reflect on it, a meaning will come to you, and
individual words are not so important. It's the general feeling of a
passage, I think, which matters. "Behold" would work fine there, I think.
:-)
> I thank you for you help. Is there anyone else out there with anything to
> offer?
Warmest regards,
Suzanne
Dempsey Morgan
mirza ali kuli khan and his daughter marcia first
translated the long healing prayer which i use.
try it and see if it helps you with your understanding.
morgan,bs,dfc.
Robin Baylor or Fred Capp
>I had wondered if the word "Yea" might have come from the same source
>as the Esperanto word "Jen" which is pronounced "Yen" and which means
>"Behold". That would make sense to me, however I posed the question
>in the hope that a real Bahai might have the real answer.
Actually, I believe that the word "Yea" would be more akin to the
Esperanto word "Ja" (meaning "indeed" or "verily")
So can you understand my sig?
--
Fred Capp
Amo bezonas disciplinon
haukness
Dear Friends: The Guardian's word combinations are extraordinary, I have
been saying that he is the greatest modern writer and the world will note
that in the future. Where did the Guardian get his inspiration for
exceptional parallel construction and compound/complex structure, fueled by
combining word phrases that would baffle any other gifted writer, although
Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, see sept ABS, reigns supreme at this hour, certainly a
part of Shoghi Effendi's style derives from Bahaullah, whose marvelous word
combinations in the Long Healing Prayer and elsewhere are breathtaking.
Using "lovers" in a very particular word phrase and then using "wicked" in a
compound in yet another distinct word phrase is such an example of how
Bahaullah writes to the human mind in an advanced style the past sacred
scriptures never showed before.
Now I do not know what the other answers to this question have been as I do
not particularly wish to be influenced on this open ended inductive
question. Obviously there is no one answer to question of this kind, it's
open to interpritation and reflection. My own answer is, by using some
antonyms Bahaullah is challenging us furture towards divirsity. The question
asked for other writing's references to which I will oblidge. Bahaullah does
have several key unique negative plays on love, found in the Seven Valley's
and 4 but also found elsewhere. Negative in the true sense of the word not
in the lay definition, that is electricity is positive and negative, the
ying and yang is positive and negative, day and night is positive and
negative, but the negative is not pejorative in itself, it's just an
oppositional vehicle.
Bahaullah Writes elsewhere along this same theme, that love can be a blind
veil to the purity of heart, love can actually blind you from what you
really are seeking to attain. As far as combining "grace" with "wicked" the
superficial read would be forgiveness and sin, but dig a little deeper and
you'll find far more than that going on.
Now as to the second question, the short answer is yea is old English of
course for yes, and it's clear what yes does to this sentence. Or like when
you finish your best knitting and as you put the darning needle down for the
last time after a month of work, it looks beautiful and of course the
children look up at the mother, as they here her shout, "yes!" and see the
grand finished sweater or rug.
Sorry my computor spell checker doesn't work, so don't tell anybody I'm the
infamous grammar spelling typing wreaker with a degree in English, ever
embarrasing my professors at the Universities of North Dakota. au revoir j
>
>In my Bahai studies I have come upon a few things which I don't quite
>understand and which are troubling me. If you can help with the two
>questions below I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
>
> +++++++++
>
>Question 1.
>
>In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
>"I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the
> wicked!"
>
>What is the accepted interpretation of this? Do anyone know of some other
>reference which might help?
>
> +++++++++
>
> Question 2.
>
>In the Long Healing Prayer appears the line
>
>.. . . ; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in Thine own Self
with
>Thy word "Yea!" on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy
>sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, . . .
>
>What do we believe is the meaning of the word "Yea!" in this line?
>
> +++++++++
>
Dempsey Morgan
based of purity of heart and service to the faith.spiritual
understanding is given to you as a result of service to the faith. when
you deal with the teachings you are dealing with divine knowledge. when
you study at the university you are dealing with human knowledge. human
knowledge falls in the realm of materialism. in the STAR OF THE WEST
mirza ali kuli khan discusses with abu'lfadl the language of the next
world which abu'lfadl knows and mirza ali kuli khan wants to learn.
abu'lfadl told mirrza khan this knowledge was given to him as a result
of his service to the faith and he couldn't teach it to him.
i have studied in six different universities, a catholic university, 2
different state universities, a military college, west point, a college
of law, detroit college of law and a black university. i taught
chemistry, physics and mathmatics in international schools as a pioneer
to eleven different countries, was headmaster in two secondary schools
in uganda, one a state school and one a muslim school. i have been in
four civil wars while pioneering and while living the cities i was
bombed and rocketed. as a pioneer on the outside it was fire but on the
inside it was cool and peaceful. before i was a believer i was a fighter
pilot with a bronze star and distinguished flying cross in the 15th air
force in world war two. i am writing all this to say my advice is from
service to my country and service to our dear faith. understanding is
given for service to our dear Baha'i Faith. morgan.