Ridvan celebrates Baha’u’llah’s time in 1863 in the garden of Ridvan in Baghdad when He publicly declared His station as a Manifestation of God. The Ridvan Festival is 12 days long and is also the time of year when Baha’is elect their governing bodies.
Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions is an initiative where we invite Baha’is and their friends from around the world to come into a studio and share the Baha’i Writings put to music.
In this Baha’i Blog Studio Session, we’re in Hamilton, New Zealand with Arman and Gloria Akhterjahan singing “Illahi, Ya Illahi (O God, my God)” in Urdu, from the Writings of Baha’u’llah.
This song was filmed and recorded in Hamilton, New Zealand, 21 February, 2021, and was composed by Gloria Akhterjahan.
Quote/Lyrics in Urdu:
ہواللہ
اے میرے خدا! اے میرے خدا!تونے اپنے امر کے چراغ کوحکمت کے تیل سے روشن کیا۔ اس کو مخالف ہواؤں سے محفوظ رکھ۔ چراغ تیرا ہے فانوس تیرا۔ آسمان و زمین کے اسباب سب تیرے قبضہ قدرت میں ہیں۔ حکام کو عدل عنایت فرما اور عالموں کو انصاف توہی ہے وہ صاحب اقتدار کہ جس نے قلم کی حرکت سے اپنے امرمتین کی تائید و نصرت فرمائی اور اپنے اولیا کو راہ دکھائی۔ توہی ہے قدرت کا مالک اور اقتدار کا بادشاہ، تیرے سوا کوئی خدا نہیں تو غالب و مختار ہے
Quote/lyrics in English:
“Protection of the lamp of God; “Bestow justice upon the rulers, and fairness upon the divines.”
O God, my God! Thou hast lighted the lamp of Thy Cause with the oil of wisdom; protect it from contrary winds. The lamp is Thine, and the glass is Thine, and all things in the heavens and on earth are in the grasp of Thy power. Bestow justice upon the rulers, and fairness upon the divines. Thou art the All-Powerful, Who, through the motion of Thy Pen, hast aided Thine irresistible Cause, and guided aright Thy loved ones. Thou art the Possessor of power, and the King of might. No God is there but Thee, the Strong, the Unconstrained.”
– Baha’u’llah (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf)
Chords with English transliteration:
C D C Em
Illahi, Ya Illahi! Illahi, Ya Illahi!
C D Em
Toone Apne dast-e-kudrat se
C D Em
Chirag-e-Amr ko roshan kiya hai
C Em
{Noor-e-hikmat se, Noor-e-hikmat se} x2
C D Em
Ise mehfooz rakh har samt ki baad-e-mukhaalif se
C Em
{Chirag-O-Noor Tera, sheesha-O-faanoos Tera hai
C D C Em
Ye Tere dast-e-kudrat mein hai asbaab-e-jahan saare} x2
{Tere zeer-e-hukumat hain zameen-O-asmaan saare} x2
C D Em
{Khudaya! Hakmon ko adal ki quwwat ata farma
C D Em
Khudaya! Aalamon ko jazbe insaaf se garma} x2
C D Em
{Tuhi Vo Muktadir hai jisne Apne mulk-e-qudrat se
Em C D Em
Kiye hain deen-e-barhak ko moayyad khaas nusrat se} x2
C D Em
{Dikhaai rah Toone oliya ko deen-e-fitrat ki
C D Em
Mile hain rahravano-e-noor ko manzil-e-haqeeqat ki} x2
Em C D Em
Tuhi hai Maalik-e-qudrat va Maleek-e-muktadar Tu hai
C D Em
Tera qabza har ek shaheed par hamesha aur harsoo hai
Em C D Em
Tuhi hai Ghalif-e-mukhtaar, Tuhi hai Vaadat-e-ekta
D C D C Em
Va joz Tere Khuda koi nahi, aur ho nahi sakta
C D C Em
Illahi, Ya Illahi! Illahi, Ya Illahi!
Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.
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