Becoming “related to the Blessed Perfection” and receiving “divine bounty”

The spiritual love of God maketh man pure and holy and clotheth him with the garment of virtue and purity. And when man attacheth his heart wholly to God and becometh related to the Blessed Perfection, the divine bounty will dawn. This love is not physical, nay, rather, it is absolutely spiritual. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  ('Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1')

“the lump that must leaven the peoples of the world”

The companions of God are, in this day, the lump that must leaven the peoples of the world. They must show forth such trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such deeds and character that all mankind may profit by their example. 

- Baha’u’llah  (cited in Shoghi Effendi, ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Excellence in All Things)

“no one should exalt himself over the other”

O Children of Men! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Women)

The Báb “assiduously prepared” some of His disciples “to expect the imminent Revelation” of Baha’u’llah

Some of His disciples the Báb assiduously prepared to expect the imminent Revelation. Others He orally assured would live to see its day. To Mullá Báqir, one of the Letters of the Living, He actually prophesied, in a Tablet addressed to him, that he would meet the Promised One face to face. To Sayyáḥ, another disciple, He gave verbally a similar assurance. Mullá Husayn He directed to Tihrán, assuring him that in that city was enshrined a Mystery Whose light neither Hijáz nor Shíráz could rival. Quddús, on the eve of his final separation from Him, was promised that he would attain the presence of the One Who was the sole Object of their adoration and love. To Shaykh Hasan-i-Zunúzí He declared while in Máh-Kú that he would behold in Karbilá the countenance of the promised Husayn. On Dayyán He conferred the title of “the third Letter to believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest,” while to ‘Azím He divulged, in the Kitáb-i-Panj-Sha‘n, the name, and announced the approaching advent, of Him Who was to consummate His own Revelation. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

“Nature in its essence is the embodiment” of one of the Names of God – “the Maker”

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. 

- Baha’u’llah  (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, Conservation of the Earth's Resources)

Opposition to the Faith and attitude to maintain

Soon will the Western regions become as radiant as the horizons of the East, and the Sun of Truth shine forth with a refulgence that will cause the darkness of error to fade away and vanish. Great is the multitude who will rise up to oppose you, who will oppress you, heap blame upon you, rejoice at your misfortunes, account you people to be shunned, and visit injury upon you; yet shall your heavenly Father confer upon you such spiritual illumination that ye shall become even as the rays of the sun which, as they chase away the sombre clouds, break forth to flood the surface of the earth with light. It is incumbent upon you, whensoever these tests may overtake you, to stand firm, and to be patient and enduring. Instead of repaying like with like, ye should requite opposition with the utmost benevolence and loving-kindness, and on no account attach importance to cruelties and injuries, but rather regard them as the wanton acts of children. For ultimately the radiance of the Kingdom will overwhelm the darkness of the world of being, and the holy, exalted character of your aims will become unmistakably apparent. Nothing shall remain concealed: the olive oil, though stored within the deepest vault, shall one day burn in brightness from the lamp atop the beacon. The small shall be made great, and the powerless shall be given strength; they that are of tender age shall become the children of the Kingdom, and those that have gone astray shall be guided to their heavenly home. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Crisis and Victory)

What happens when one’s heart is “wholly attracted to the one true God”

When your hearts are wholly attracted to the one true God you will acquire divine knowledge, will become attentive to the proofs and testimonies and will commit to memory the glad-tidings concerning the Manifestations of the Beauty of the All-Merciful, as mentioned in the heavenly Scriptures. Then ye shall behold how wondrous are His confirmations and how gracious is His assistance. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith)

One’s magnanimity

The magnanimity of man must be heavenly or, in other words, it must be assisted by the divine confirmation, so that he may become the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of the Divine Plan)

All human beings “embody divine possibilities”

God maketh no distinction between the white and the black. If the hearts are pure both are acceptable unto Him. God is no respecter of persons on account of either color or race. All colors are acceptable unto Him, be they white, black, or yellow. Inasmuch as all were created in the image of God, we must bring ourselves to realize that all embody divine possibilities. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

As to you, O ye loved ones of God! Loose your tongues and offer Him thanks; praise ye and glorify the Beauty of the Adored One, for ye have drunk from this purest of chalices, and ye are cheered and set aglow with this wine. Ye have detected the sweet scents of holiness, ye have smelled the musk of faithfulness from Joseph’s raiment. Ye have fed on the honey-dew of loyalty from the hands of Him Who is the one alone Beloved, ye have feasted on immortal dishes at the bounteous banquet table of the Lord. This plenty is a special favour bestowed by a loving God, these are blessings and rare gifts deriving from His grace. In the Gospel He saith: ‘For many are called, but few are chosen.’ [Matthew 22:14] That is, to many is it offered, but rare is the soul who is singled out to receive the great bestowal of guidance. ‘Such is the bounty of God: to whom He will He giveth it, and of immense bounty is God.’ [Qur’án 57:21] 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha)

To offer Huquq “with the utmost joy and radiance and in the spirit of perfect humility and lowliness”

The one true God -- exalted be His glory -- hath ever been and will continue to be exalted above every expression of praise and is sanctified from the world of existence and all the riches therein. Whatsoever proceedeth from Him produceth a fruit the benefits of which revert to the individuals themselves. Ere long will they perceive the truth of that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered aforetime and will utter hereafter. And such benefits will indeed accrue if the Huquq is offered with the utmost joy and radiance and in the spirit of perfect humility and lowliness. 

- Baha’u’llah  ('The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Huququ'lláh')

Not to make one's soul weary and weighed down while reading the Divine verses

Pride not yourselves on much reading of the verses or on a multitude of pious acts by night and day; for were a man to read a single verse with joy and radiance it would be better for him than to read with lassitude all the Holy Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Read ye the sacred verses in such measure that ye be not overcome by languor and despondency. Lay not upon your souls that which will weary them and weigh them down, but rather what will lighten and uplift them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses towards the Dawning-place of His manifest signs; this will draw you nearer to God, did ye but comprehend. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Kitab-i-Aqdas; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, The Importance of Prayer, Meditation, and the Devotional Attitude)

Business dealings

You have written on the question of how the friends should proceed in their business dealings with one another. This is a question of the greatest importance and a matter that deserveth the liveliest concern. In relations of this kind, the friends of God should act with the utmost trustworthiness and integrity. To be remiss in this area would be to turn one's face away from the counsels of the Blessed Beauty and the holy precepts of God. If a man in his own home doth not treat his relations and friends with entire trustworthiness and integrity, his dealings with the outside world -- no matter how much trustworthiness and honesty he may bring to them -- will prove barren and unproductive. First one should order one's own domestic affairs, then attend to one's business with the public. One should certainly not argue that the friends need not be treated with undue care, or that it is unnecessary for them to attach too great importance to the practice of trustworthiness in their dealings with one another, but that it is in their relations with strangers that correct behaviour is essential. Talk like this is sheer fantasy and will lead to detriment and loss. Blessed be the soul that shineth with the light of trustworthiness among the people and becometh a sign of perfection amidst all men. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, The Compilation of Compilations vol II; Trustworthiness:  A Cardinal Baha’i Virtue)

Baha’u’llah’s awesome station

He Who in such dramatic circumstances was made to sustain the overpowering weight of so glorious a Mission was none other than the One Whom posterity will acclaim, and Whom innumerable followers already recognize, as the Judge, the Lawgiver and Redeemer of all mankind, as the Organizer of the entire planet, as the Unifier of the children of men, as the Inaugurator of the long-awaited millennium, as the Originator of a new "Universal Cycle," as the Establisher of the Most Great Peace, as the Fountain of the Most Great Justice, as the Proclaimer of the coming of age of the entire human race, as the Creator of a new World Order, and as the Inspirer and Founder of a world civilization. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (God Passes By)

Stations of “Prophets of God”, “Holy Ones”, and “just kings”

The highest station, the supreme sphere, the noblest, most sublime position in creation, whether visible or invisible, whether alpha or omega, is that of the Prophets of God, notwithstanding the fact that for the most part they have to outward seeming been possessed of nothing but their own poverty. In the same way, ineffable glory is set apart for the Holy Ones and those who are nearest to the Threshold of God, although such as these have never for a moment concerned themselves with material gain. Then comes the station of those just kings whose fame as protectors of the people and dispensers of Divine justice has filled the world, whose name as powerful champions of the people’s rights has echoed through creation. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘The Secret of Divine Civilization’)