Man becomes like a stone unless he continually supplicates
to God. The heart of man is like a mirror which is covered with dust and to
cleanse it one must continually pray to God that it may become clean. The act
of supplication is the polish which erases all worldly desires. The delight of
supplicating and entreating before God cuts one's heart from the world… prayer
is a key by which the doors of the kingdom are opened. There are many subjects
which are difficult for man to solve. But during prayer and supplication they
are unveiled and there is nothing that man cannot find out. Muhammed said:
"Prayer is a ladder by which everyone can ascend to heaven." If one's
heart is cut from the world his prayer is the ascension to heaven.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of
‘Abdu’l-Bha, recorded by Alma Albertson and other pilgrims, Haifa, November and
December, 1900; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 4, May 17, 1917)
