 |
| The Greatest Holy Leaf |
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
Dec 31, 2014
patience
Dec 30, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
... If any soul speak ill of an absent one, the only result
will clearly be this: he will dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make
them indifferent. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the
friends of a disposition to withdraw. If any individual should speak ill of one
who is absent, it is incumbent on his hearers, in a spiritual and friendly
manner, to stop him, and say in effect: would this detraction serve any useful
purpose? Would it please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour
of the friends, promote the holy Faith, support the covenant, or be of any
possible benefit to any soul? No, never! On the contrary, it would make the
dust to settle so thickly on the heart that the ears would hear no more, and
the eyes would not longer behold the light of truth.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, ‘Selections
from The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá’)
Dec 29, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
O
Emigrants! The tongue I have designed for the mention of Me, defile it not with
detraction. If the fire of self overcome you, remember your own faults and not
the faults of My creatures, inasmuch as every one of you knoweth his own self
better than he knoweth others.
(Baha'u'llah, ‘The Hidden Words
of Baha’u’llah’)
Dec 28, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
If we Bahá'ís cannot attain to cordial
unity among ourselves, then we fail to realize the main purpose for which the
Bab, Bahá'u'lláh and the Beloved Master lived and suffered. In order to achieve
this cordial unity one of the first essentials insisted on by Bahá'u'lláh and
'Abdu'l-Bahá is that we resist the natural tendency to let our attention dwell
on the faults and failings of others rather than on our own. Each of us is
responsible for one life only, and that is our own. Each of us is immeasurably
far from being "perfect as our heavenly father is perfect" and the
task of perfecting our own life and character is one that requires all our
attention, our will-power and energy.
(From a letter dated 12 May 1925 written
on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. II, Living the Life)
Dec 27, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
He feels that you should do your utmost to call the
attention of the friends to these large things and real triumphs, and away from
their personal differences and petty pre-occupations. Now is certainly not the
time for any man to think of himself, or busy himself with the weaknesses of
his brother; but, rather each and every Bahá'í must concentrate in the tasks
ahead and be reborn in the service of Bahá'u'lláh.
(From a letter written on
behalf of the Guardian to the Area National Teaching Committee (USA), July 17,
1950; Bahá'í News, October 1970)
Dec 26, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
One must see in every human being only that which is worthy
of praise. When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race. If,
however, we look at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being a
friend to them is a formidable task.
('Abdu'l-Bahá: Selections of the Writings
of 'Abdu'l-Bahá)
Dec 25, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
O Son of Being! How couldst thou forget thine own faults and
busy thyself with the faults of others? Whoso doeth this is accursed of Me.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
Dec 24, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
Each Local Spiritual Assembly should become the heart and
nerve center of its community. The Assemblies should be so educated and
equipped with guidance from you that they become pillars of strength for the
believers, and sources of knowledge and guidance. The Local Assemblies should
neither be like private agents prying into the lives of the believers and
seeking out their personal problems, nor should they condone glaring disregard
of the Holy Laws. Whenever it becomes known that one of the believers is
flagrantly disobeying the Teachings of the Faith, whether spiritual, ethical,
moral or administrative, the Assemblies should not allow such a situation to
become a source of backbiting among the friends or deteriorate into either the
loss of the dignity of the Teachings in the eyes of the Bahá’ís and
non-Bahá’ís, or the eventual inactivity of the believers, as you have observed.
The Assemblies, with the encouragement and under the continuous guidance of
your National Assembly, should, in the name of protecting the interests of the
Faith, themselves initiate action for the solution of the problem, and handle
it with love, wisdom and firmness.
(The Universal House of Justice, from a letter dated November 12, 1965, to a National Spiritual Assembly)
Dec 23, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
You
ask in your letter for guidance on the implications of the prohibition on
backbiting and more specifically whether, in moments of anger or depression,
the believer is permitted to turn to his friends to unburden his soul and
discuss his problem in human relations. Normally, it is possible to describe
the situation surrounding a problem and seek help and advice in resolving it,
without necessarily mentioning names. The individual believer should seek to do
this, whether he is consulting a friend, Baha'i or non-Baha'i, or whether the
friend is consulting him. Abdu'l-Baha does not permit adverse criticism of
individuals by name in discussion among the friends, even if the one
criticizing believes that he is doing so to protect the interests of the Cause.
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an
individual believer, September 23, 1975)
Dec 22, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
I hope that the believers of God will shun completely
backbiting, each one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting
is the cause of Divine Wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to
the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because
the most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding. One must expose the
praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. The friends
must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and
not their defects.
('Abdu'l-Bahá: Tablet to Dr. M.G. Skinner, August 12, 1913:
Star of the West, Vol. IV, No. 11, p. 192)
Dec 21, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
That
seeker should regard backbiting as grievous error and keep himself aloof from
its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth
the life of the soul.
(Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan)
Dec 20, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
To every generation of young believers comes an opportunity
to make a contribution to the fortunes of humanity, unique to their time of
life. For the present generation, the moment has come to reflect, to commit, to
steel themselves for a life of service from which blessing will flow in
abundance. In our prayers at the Sacred Threshold, we entreat the Ancient
Beauty that, from out a distracted and bewildered humanity, He may distil pure
souls endowed with clear sight: youth whose integrity and uprightness are not
undermined by dwelling on the faults of others and who are not immobilized by
any shortcomings of their own; youth who will look to the Master and
"bring those who have been excluded into the circle of intimate
friends"; youth whose consciousness of the failings of society impels them
to work for its transformation, not to distance themselves from it; youth who,
whatever the cost, will refuse to pass by inequity in its many incarnations and
will labour, instead, that "the light of justice may shed its radiance
upon the whole world."
(The Universal House of Justice, message to
the Baha’is of the World, Feb. 8, 2013)
Dec 19, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
You must not make the great mistake of judging our Faith by
one community which obviously needs to study and obey the Bahá'í teachings.
Human frailties and peculiarities can be a great test. But the only way, or
perhaps I should say the first and best way, to remedy such situations, is to
oneself do what is right. One soul can be the cause of the spiritual
illumination of a continent. Now that you have seen, and remedied, a great
fault in your own life, now that you see more clearly what is lacking in your
own community, there is nothing to prevent you from arising and showing such an
example, such a love and spirit of service, as to enkindle the hearts of your
fellow Bahá'ís.
He urges you to study deeply the teachings, teach others,
study with those Bahá'ís who are anxious to do so, the deeper teachings of our
Faith, and through example, effort and prayer, bring about a change.
(From a
letter dated30 September 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Issues
Concerning Community Functioning)
Dec 18, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
The
worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting, more especially
when it emanates
from the tongues of the believers of God. If some
means were devised so that the doors of backbiting were shut eternally and each
one of the believers unsealed his lips in praise of others, then the teachings
of His Holiness Baha’u’llah would spread, the hearts be illumined, the spirits
glorified, and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.'
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Star of West, Vol. IV; quoted in a letter dated February 11,
1925 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles; compilation:
Lights of Guidance)
Dec 17, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a
sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to
this I bear witness.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh’)
Dec 16, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
As 'Abdu'l-Bahá so often points out,
the Manifestation of God is a Divine Educator. He attracts the hearts of men,
pours out His spirit upon those who respond to Him, instructs them in the right
way of life, uses them to carry forward the development of human society, and
disciplines them by His Law. We Bahá'ís, we who have answered His call, bear
the responsibility of carrying forward His work among mankind, and in spite of
our innumerable failings His plan is irresistibly progressing. The great
tragedy of mankind at this time is the failure of the vast majority of human
beings to heed the Divine Call, and this is in large part occasioned by the
failure of most of those who have believed to live up to the high standard that
Bahá'u'lláh has set. This is the condition in which we must work in our service
to mankind, turning a sin-covering eye to the faults of others, and striving in
our own inmost selves to purify our lives in accordance with the divine
Teachings.
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
to an individual believer, July 22, 1981; a compilation on ‘Removal of
Administrative Rights’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal
House of Justice)
Dec 15, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
…it [backbiting]
is obviously one of the foremost obligations for Baha'is to set their faces
against this practice. Even if what is said against another person be true, the
mentioning of his faults to others still comes under the category of
backbiting, and is forbidden.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, February 11, 1925; compilation:
Lights of Guidance)
Dec 14, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
Remember, above all, the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh concerning
gossip and unseemly talk about others. Stories repeated about others are seldom
good. A silent tongue is the safest. Even good may be harmful, if spoken at the
wrong time, or to the wrong person.
(Abdu'l-Baha, from a talk, ‘Abdu'l-Baha in
London’)
Dec 13, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a
source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind.
Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him
Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as
a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the
Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me
standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name's
sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love
to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of
My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness
and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship.
Dec 12, 2014
avoidance of fault-finding & backbiting
If ye become aware of a sin committed by another,
conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer,
the Lord of grace abounding.
(Baha'u'llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
Dec 11, 2014
fear of God
Let the mothers consider that whatever concerneth the
education of children is of the first importance. Let them put forth every
effort in this regard, for when the bough is green and tender it will grow in
whatever way ye train it. Therefore is it incumbent upon the mothers to rear
their little ones even as a gardener tendeth his young plants. Let them strive
by day and by night to establish within their children faith and certitude, the
fear of God, the love of the Beloved of the worlds, and all good qualities and
traits. Whensoever a mother seeth that her child hath done well, let her praise
and applaud him and cheer his heart; and if the slightest undesirable trait
should manifest itself, let her counsel the child and punish him, and use means
based on reason, even a slight verbal chastisement should this be necessary. It
is not, however, permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child's
character will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal
abuse.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá’; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
Dec 10, 2014
fear of God
The word of God which the Abha Pen hath revealed and
inscribed on the first leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Verily I say:
The fear of God hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold for all the
peoples of the world. It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind, and
the supreme instrument for its preservation. Indeed, there existeth in man a
faculty which deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is
unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense of shame. This, however,
is confined to but a few; all have not possessed and do not possess it.
(Baha'u'llah,
Tablets of Baha'u'llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas)
Dec 9, 2014
fear of God
I give you my advice, and it is this: Train these children
with divine exhortations. From their childhood instill in their hearts the love
of God so they may manifest in their lives the fear of God and have confidence
in the bestowals of God. Teach them to free themselves from human imperfections
and to acquire the divine perfections latent in the heart of man. The life of
man is useful if he attains the perfections of man. If he becomes the center of
the imperfections of the world of humanity, death is better than life, and
nonexistence better than existence. Therefore, make ye an effort in order that
these children may be rightly trained and educated and that each of them may
attain perfection in the world of humanity. Know ye the value of these children
for they are all my children.
('Abdu'l-Baha, 'The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks
Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912"; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
Dec 8, 2014
fear of God
Cleave thou to the fear of God and to whatsoever hath been
revealed in His Book: thus biddeth thee He Who is the Word of Truth and the
Knower of things unseen. Say: trustworthiness is the sun of the heaven of My
commandments, truthfulness is its moon, and praiseworthy attributes are its
stars. Yet the people, for the most part, understand not.
(Baha’u’llah, The
Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
Dec 7, 2014
fear of God
O people of the world! Follow not the promptings of the
self, for it summoneth insistently to wickedness and lust; follow, rather, Him
Who is the Possessor of all created things, Who biddeth you to show forth
piety, and manifest the fear of God. He, verily, is independent of all His
creatures. Take heed not to stir up mischief in the land after it hath been set
in order. Whoso acteth in this way is not of Us, and We are quit of him. Such
is the command which hath, through the power of truth, been made manifest from
the heaven of Revelation.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
Dec 6, 2014
fear of God
There are some who imagine that an innate sense of human
dignity will prevent man from committing evil actions and insure his spiritual
and material perfection. That is, that an individual who is characterized with
natural intelligence, high resolve, and a driving zeal, will, without any
consideration for the severe punishments consequent on evil acts, or for the
great rewards of righteousness, instinctively refrain from inflicting harm on
his fellow men and will hunger and thirst to do good. And yet, if we ponder the
lessons of history it will become evident that this very sense of honor and
dignity is itself one of the bounties deriving from the instructions of the
Prophets of God. We also observe in infants the signs of aggression and
lawlessness, and that if a child is deprived of a teacher's instructions his
undesirable qualities increase from one moment to the next. It is therefore
clear that the emergence of this natural sense of human dignity and honor is
the result of education. Secondly, even if we grant for the sake of the
argument that instinctive intelligence and an innate moral quality would
prevent wrongdoing, it is obvious that individuals so characterized are as rare
as the philosopher's stone. An assumption of this sort cannot be validated by
mere words, it must be supported by the facts. Let us see what power in
creation impels the masses toward righteous aims and deeds! Aside from this, if
that rare individual who does exemplify such a faculty should also become an
embodiment of the fear of God, it is certain that his strivings toward
righteousness would be strongly reinforced.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, "The Secret of
Divine Civilization’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education
)
Dec 5, 2014
fear of God
It is incumbent upon thee to summon the people, under all
conditions, to whatever will cause them to show forth spiritual characteristics
and goodly deeds, so that all may become aware of that which is the cause of
human upliftment, and may, with the utmost endeavor, direct themselves towards
the most sublime Station and the Pinnacle of Glory. The fear of God hath ever
been the prime factor in the education of His creatures. Well is it with them
that have attained thereunto!
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of Wolf’)
Dec 4, 2014
fear of God
Give ye great weight to the Nineteen Day gatherings, so that
on these occasions the beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the Merciful
may turn their faces toward the Kingdom, chant the communes, beseech God's
help, become joyfully enamoured each of the other, and grow in purity and
holiness, and in the fear of God, and in resistance to passion and self. Thus
will they separate themselves from this elemental world, and immerse themselves
in the ardours of the spirit.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
from a Tablet to the local Spiritual Assembly of Spokane, Washington,
translated from the Persian; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Nineteen
Day Feast)
Dec 3, 2014
fear of God
Adorn your heads with the garlands of trustworthiness and
fidelity, your hearts with the attire of the fear of God, your tongues with
absolute truthfulness, your bodies with the vesture of courtesy. These are in
truth seemly adornings unto the temple of man, if ye be of them that reflect.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
Dec 2, 2014
fear of God
You
have asked the exact meaning of the term 'Fear of God' mentioned in Baha'i
Sacred Writings; it often means awe, but has also
other connotations such as reverence, terror and fear.
(From a letter
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 13, 1940;
compilation:’ Lights of Guidance’)
Dec 1, 2014
fear of God
Undoubtedly the friends are illumined
with the light of the fear of God and are fully conscious of the need to purify
and protect their possessions in accordance with the decisive Words revealed by
our Lord, the Most High.
In these turbulent days, we that yearn
for Him, fervently turn in prayer to the court of the Lord of mankind that He
may graciously enable that august Assembly to repeatedly remind the lovers of
the Beauty of the All-Merciful of the vital importance and the binding
character of this sacred and heavenly injunction. Through issuing
announcements, distributing leaflets and in gatherings, schools and conferences
held by the followers of our Zealous Lord, they should be guided and encouraged
to observe strictly and conscientiously that which His divine commandment has
enjoined upon them, so that those believers who are adorned with the fear of
God may be shielded from the dire consequences foreshadowed in His ominous
warnings, may become the recipients of His assured blessings and be enabled to
partake of the outpourings of His infallible spiritual grace.
(12 September 1969, written by the
Universal House of Justice, translated from the Persian; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I,
Huququ’llah)
Nov 30, 2014
fear of God
...there are those famed and accomplished men of learning,
possessed of praiseworthy qualities and vast erudition, who lay hold on the
strong handle of the fear of God and keep to the ways of salvation. In the
mirror of their minds the forms of transcendent realities are reflected, and
the lamp of their inner vision derives its light from the sun of universal
knowledge. They are busy by night and by day with meticulous research into such
sciences as are profitable to mankind, and they devote themselves to the
training of students of capacity. It is certain that to their discerning taste,
the proffered treasures of kings would not compare with a single drop of the
waters of knowledge, and mountains of gold and silver could not outweigh the
successful solution of a difficult problem. To them, the delights that lie
outside their work are only toys for children, and the cumbersome load of
unnecessary possessions is only good for the ignorant and base. Content, like
the birds, they give thanks for a handful of seeds, and the song of their
wisdom dazzles the minds of the world's most wise....
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The
Secret of Divine Civilization’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III,
Scholarship)
Nov 29, 2014
fear of God
The first word which the Abhá Pen hath revealed and
inscribed on the first leaf of Paradise is this: “Verily I say: The fear of God
hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold for all the peoples of the
world. It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind, and the supreme
instrument for its preservation. Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which
deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is unworthy and
unseemly, and which is known as his sense of shame. This, however, is confined
to but a few; all have not possessed, and do not possess, it. It is incumbent
upon the kings and the spiritual leaders of the world to lay fast hold on
religion, inasmuch as through it the fear of God is instilled in all else but
Him.”
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of Wolf’)
Nov 28, 2014
fear of God
In the religion of God, there is no
freedom of action outside the law of God. Man may not transgress this law, even
though no harm is inflicted on one's neighbour. This is because the purpose of
Divine law is the education of all -- others as well as oneself -- and, in the
sight of God, the harm done to one individual or to his neighbour is the same
and is reprehensible in both cases. Hearts must possess the fear of God. Man
should endeavour to avoid that which is abhorrent unto God. Therefore, the
freedom that the laws of Europe offer to the individual does not exist in the
law of God. Freedom of thought should not transgress the bounds of courtesy,
and actions, likewise, should be governed by the fear of God and the desire to
seek His good pleasure.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a Tablet included in a
letter dated 8 February 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to an individual believer)
Nov 27, 2014
fear of God
You ask him about the fear of God: perhaps the friends do
not realize that the majority of human beings need the element of fear in order
to discipline their conduct? Only a relatively very highly evolved soul would
always be disciplined by love alone. Fear of punishment, fear of the anger of
God if we do evil, are needed to keep people's feet on the right path. Of
course we should love God -- but we must fear Him in the sense of a child
fearing the righteous anger and chastisement of a parent; not cringe before Him
as before a tyrant, but know His mercy exceeds His justice!
(From a letter
dated 26 July 1946 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
Nov 26, 2014
fear of God
Hearken ye, O Rulers of America and the Presidents of the
Republics therein, unto that which the Dove is warbling on the Branch of
Eternity: “There is none other God but Me, the Ever-Abiding, the Forgiving, the
All-Bountiful.” Adorn ye the temple of dominion with the ornament of justice
and of the fear of God, and its head with the crown of the remembrance of your
Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Thus counselleth you He Who is the Dayspring
of Names, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
(Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
Nov 25, 2014
fear of God
In explaining the fear of God to children, there is no
objection to teaching it as 'Abdu'l-Bahá so often taught everything, in the
form of parables. Also the child should be made to understand that we don't
fear God because He is cruel, but we fear Him because He is just, and, if we do
wrong and deserve to be punished, then in His justice He may see fit to punish
us. We must both love God and fear Him.
(From a letter dated 15 February 1957
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to some individual believers; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
Nov 24, 2014
fear of God
For every thing, however, God has created a sign and symbol,
and established standards and tests by which it may be known. The spiritually
learned must be characterized by both inward and outward perfections; they must
possess a good character, an enlightened nature, a pure intent, as well as
intellectual power, brilliance and discernment, intuition, discretion and
foresight, temperance, reverence, and a heartfelt fear of God. For an unlit candle,
however great in diameter and tall, is no better than a barren palm tree or a
pile of dead wood.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization)
Nov 23, 2014
fear of God
The Pen of the Most High has recorded: "Fear of God is
the greatest commander that can render the Cause of God victorious, and the
hosts which best befit this commander have ever been and are an upright
character and pure and goodly deeds."
(Baha’u’llah, from the Kitáb-i-Ahd,
published in "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-'Aqdas")
Nov 22, 2014
consciousness
Today it is obligatory for the loved ones of God, and their
imperative duty, to educate the children in reading, writing, the various
branches of knowledge, and the expansion of consciousness, that on all levels
they may go forward day by day.
The mother is the first teacher of the child. For children,
at the beginning of life, are fresh and tender as a young twig, and can be
trained in any fashion you desire. If you rear the child to be straight, he
will grow straight, in perfect symmetry. It is clear that the mother is the
first teacher and that it is she who establisheth the character and conduct of
the child.
Wherefore, O ye loving mothers, know ye that in God's sight,
the best of all ways to worship Him is to educate the children and train them
in all the perfections of humankind; and no nobler deed than this can be
imagined.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ’Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá’)
Nov 21, 2014
consciousness
The twentieth
century has been distinguished by the emergence of the unity of nations, to
which both Shoghi Effendi and the House of Justice have referred in the
enclosed document. This movement, the evidence of which accumulates with each
passing day, stands in sharp contrast to the nationalistic tenor of the
nineteenth century, and is an evidence of the spirit of a new age moving in the
hearts of humankind. Viewed from this perspective, there can be no doubt that
the promise of 'Abdu'l-Baha has been fulfilled, and the unity of nations
securely established in the century now concluded. The further expansion and
strengthening of this consciousness of world solidarity in the years to come
will have their effect in the political realm, and will influence the evolution
towards world government.
(From a letter dated 19 April, 2001 written on behalf
of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)
Nov 20, 2014
consciousness
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| Badi being tortured |
For the history of the Cause, particularly in Persia, is a
clear illustration of the truth that such persecutions invariably serve to strengthen
the believers in their faith, by stimulating the spiritual powers latent in
their hearts, and by awakening in them a new and deeper consciousness of their
duties and responsibilities towards the Faith. Indeed, the mere progress of the
Cause, by provoking the hatreds and jealousies of peoples and nations, creates
for itself such difficulties and obstacles as only its divine spirit can
overcome. 'Abdu'l-Bahá has emphatically stated that the enmity and opposition
of the world will increase in direct proportion to the extension and progress
of the Faith. The greater the zeal of the believers and the more striking the
effect of their achievements, the fiercer will be the opposition of the enemy.
(From
a letter dated 20 January 1935 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of India
and Burma; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)
Nov 19, 2014
consciousness
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a Tablet,
included in a memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of
Justice dated 28 March 1996)
Nov 18, 2014
consciousness
The earth has its inhabitants, the water and the air contain
many living beings and all the elements have their nature spirits, then how is
it possible to conceive that these stupendous stellar bodies are not inhabited?
Verily, they are peopled, but let it be known that the dwellers accord with the
elements of their respective spheres. These living beings do not have states of
consciousness like unto those who live on the surface of this globe: the power of
adaptation and environment moulds their bodies and states of consciousness,
just as our bodies and minds are suited to our planet….
Beings who inhabit those distant luminous bodies are attuned
to the elements that have gone into the composition of their respective
spheres.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Divine Philosophy’; compilation: ‘Nature’, prepared by
the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
Nov 17, 2014
consciousness
The primary question to be resolved is how the present
world, with its entrenched pattern of conflict, can change to a world in which
harmony and co-operation will prevail.
World order can be founded only on an unshakable
consciousness of the oneness of mankind, a spiritual truth which all the human
sciences confirm. Anthropology, physiology, psychology, recognize only one
human species, albeit infinitely varied in the secondary aspects of life.
Recognition of this truth requires abandonment of prejudice -- prejudice of
every kind -- race, class, colour, creed, nation, sex, degree of material
civilization, everything which enables people to consider themselves superior
to others.
Acceptance of the oneness of mankind is the first
fundamental prerequisite for reorganization and administration of the world as
one country, the home of humankind. Universal acceptance of this spiritual
principle is essential to any successful attempt to establish world peace....
(The Universal House of Justice, from a message dated October 1985 addressed to
the Peoples of the World; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Women)
Nov 16, 2014
consciousness
The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, whose supreme mission is none
other but the achievement of this organic and spiritual unity of the whole body
of nations, should, if we be faithful to its implications, be regarded as
signalizing through its advent the coming of age of the entire human race. It
should be viewed not merely as yet another spiritual revival in the
ever-changing fortunes of mankind, not only as a further stage in a chain of
progressive Revelations, nor even as the culmination of one of a series of
recurrent prophetic cycles, but rather as marking the last and highest stage in
the stupendous evolution of man's collective life on this planet. The emergence
of a world community, the consciousness of world citizenship, the founding of a
world civilization and culture – all of which must synchronize with the initial
stages in the unfoldment of the Golden Age of the Bahá'í Era – should, by their
very nature, be regarded, as far as this planetary life is concerned, as the
furthermost limits in the organization of human society, though man, as an
individual, will, nay must indeed as a result of such a consummation, continue
indefinitely to progress and develop.
(Shoghi Effendi, ‘The World Order of Baha’u’llah’)
Nov 15, 2014
consciousness
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| Centre for Study of Sacred Text |
There are certain pillars which have been established as the
unshakeable supports of the Faith of God. The mightiest of these is learning
and the use of the mind, the expansion of consciousness, and insight into the
realities of the universe and the hidden mysteries of Almighty God.
To promote knowledge is thus an inescapable duty imposed on
every one of the friends of God. It is incumbent upon that Spiritual Assembly,
that assemblage of God, to exert every effort to educate the children, so that
from infancy they will be trained in Bahá'í conduct and the ways of God, and
will, even as young plants, thrive and flourish in the soft-flowing waters that
are the counsels and admonitions of the Blessed Beauty.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha,
‘Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá’; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)
Nov 14, 2014
consciousness
The divergence between the ways of the world and of the
Cause of God becomes ever wider. And yet the two must come together. The Bahá'í
community must demonstrate in ever-increasing measure its ability to redeem the
disorderliness, the lack of cohesion, the permissiveness, the godlessness of
modern society; the laws, the religious obligations, the observances of Bahá'í
life, Bahá'í moral principles and standards of dignity, decency and reverence,
must become deeply implanted in Bahá'í consciousness and increasingly inform
and characterize this community.
(The Universal House of Justice, from a letter
dated Ridvan 1972; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)
Nov 13, 2014
consciousness
He is particularly pleased to realize that the book of
"Gleanings" is of such a tremendous inspiration to the Bahá'í youth,
and that they all are making a careful study of its contents with the view of
preparing themselves for proper teaching work. His hope is that this volume
will enable them to gain a fuller consciousness of their functions and
responsibilities, and to arise and set the example before the rest of the believers,
not only in the field of teaching, but in all the other fields of Bahá'í
activity as well. He is ardently supplicating Bahá'u'lláh on your behalf, and
on behalf of the whole body of young Bahá'ís throughout the States, and
especially the National Youth Committee, that you may be given the inspiration,
knowledge and guidance to press forward to efficient and loyal service.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated2
February 1936; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)
Nov 12, 2014
consciousness
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Young Baha’is meeting, Jamestown,
New York, 1939
|
If it were possible that in every city a few of the awakened
ones, when opportunity is offered, could hold a meeting, and therein habitually
present the proofs and arguments of God, this would do much to expand the
consciousness of man; provided, however, that the discourse be kept to this one
theme.
(‘Abdu'l-Bahá, The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and
Understanding of the Faith)
Nov 11, 2014
consciousness
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Marion Jack – an “immortal
heroine”, and a “shining example (to) pioneers (of) present (and) future generations (of) East (and) West” |
God's redemptive grace, flowing through the small yet
infinitely resourceful band of His faithful servants will, as in the days past,
gradually permeate the world, and infuse into the consciousness of peoples and
nations alike the realization that nothing short of the divine panacea He
Himself has prescribed can cure the ills now so sadly afflicting the whole of
mankind. What a higher privilege therefore than to be the instrument, the
channel for the transmission of such divine grace.
(The Universal House of
Justice; from a letter to all pioneers, dated 29 November 1970; Messages from
the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)
Nov 10, 2014
consciousness
It is not sufficient to number the souls that embrace the
Cause to know the progress that it is making. The more important consequences
of your activities are the spirit that is diffused into the life of the
community, and the extent to which the teachings we proclaim become part of the
consciousness and belief of the people that hear them. For it is only when the
spirit has thoroughly permeated the world that the people will begin to enter
the Faith in large numbers.
(From a letter dated 18 February
1932, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The
Compilation of Compilations, Vol. III, Promoting Entry by Troops)
Nov 9, 2014
consciousness
In the world of existence the animal is a captive of nature.
Its actions are according to the exigencies and requirements of nature. It has
no consideration or consciousness of good and evil. It simply follows its
natural instinct and inclination. The Prophets of God have come to show man the
way of righteousness in order that he may not follow his own natural impulse
but govern his action by the light of Their precept and example. According to
Their teachings he should do that which is found to be praiseworthy by the
standard of reason and judgment of intellect, even though it be opposed to his
natural human inclination; and he should not do that which is found to be
unworthy by that same standard, even though it be in the direction of his
natural impulse and desire. Therefore, man must follow and manifest the
attributes of the Merciful.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a talk given on 21
April 1912 in Washington D.C.; ‘Promulgation of Universal Peace’) (To read the
entire talk please visits Talks of
‘Abdu’l-Baha)
Nov 8, 2014
consciousness
Whoso knoweth this secret will
assuredly hide it, and were he to reveal but its faintest trace they would nail
him to the cross. Yet, by the Living God, were there any true seeker, I would
divulge it to him; for they have said: “Love is a light that never dwelleth in
a heart possessed by fear.”
Verily, the wayfarer who
journeyeth unto God, unto the Crimson Pillar in the snow-white path, will never
reach unto his heavenly goal unless he abandoneth all that men possess: “And if
he feareth not God, God will make him to fear all things; whereas all things
fear him who feareth God.” [an Arabic quote]
(Baha’u’llah, The Four Valleys)
Nov 7, 2014
consciousness
...Every believer needs to remember that an essential
characteristic of this physical world is that we are constantly faced with
trials, tribulations, hardships and sufferings and that by overcoming them we
achieve our moral and spiritual development; that we must seek to accomplish in
the future what we may have failed to do in the past; that this is the way God
tests His servants and we should look upon every failure or shortcoming as an
opportunity to try again and to acquire a fuller consciousness of the Divine
Will and purpose.
(From a letter dated 9 January 1977 written on behalf of the
Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation
‘Homosexuality’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of
Justice)
Nov 6, 2014
consciousness
In prayer the believers can turn their consciousness toward
the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, provided that in doing so they have a clear and
correct understanding of His station as a Manifestation of God.
(From a letter
dated 15 November 1935 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to two believers;
The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, The Importance of Prayer, Meditation
and the Devotional Attitude)
Nov 5, 2014
consciousness
In every Dispensation the light of Divine Guidance has been
focussed upon one central theme.... In this wondrous Revelation, this glorious
century, the foundation of the Faith of God and the distinguishing feature of
His Law is the consciousness of the Oneness of Mankind.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, cited by
Shoghi Effendi in ‘The World Order of Baha'u'llah’)
Nov 4, 2014
consciousness
If the mystic knowers be of those
who have reached to the beauty of the Beloved One (Mahbúb), this station [the
Fourth Valley] is the apex of consciousness and the secret of divine guidance.
This is the center of the mystery: “He doth what He willeth, ordaineth what He
pleaseth.” [Qur’án 2:254; 5:1, etc]
Were all the denizens of earth and
heaven to unravel this shining allusion, this darksome riddle, until the Day
when the Trumpet soundeth, yet would they fail to
comprehend even a letter thereof, for this is the station of God’s immutable
decree, His foreordained mystery. Hence, when searchers inquired of this, He
made reply, “This is a bottomless sea which none shall ever fathom.” [Statement
attributed to ‘Alí.] And they asked again, and He answered, “It is the blackest of nights
through which none can find his way.”
(Baha’u’llah, The Four Valleys)
Nov 3, 2014
independent search after truth
How often hath it been observed that
certain human minds, far from being a source of guidance, have become as
fetters upon the feet of the wayfarers and prevented them from treading the
straight Path! The lesser intellect being thus circumscribed, one must search
after Him Who is the ultimate Source of knowledge and strive to recognize Him.
And should one come to acknowledge that Source round Whom every mind doth
revolve, then whatsoever He should ordain is the expression of the dictates of
a consummate wisdom. His very Being, even as the sun, is distinct from all else
beside Him. The whole duty of man is to recognize Him; once this hath been
achieved, then whatsoever He may please to ordain is binding and in full
accordance with the requirements of divine wisdom. Thus have ordinances and
prohibitions of every kind been laid down by the Prophets of the past, even
unto the earliest times.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The
Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other
Writings’)
Nov 2, 2014
independent search after truth
Know thou of a truth that the seeker
must, at the beginning of his quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In
this journey it behoveth the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God and
to close his eyes to all that is in the heavens and on the earth. There must
not linger in his heart either the hate or the love of any soul, to the extent
that they would hinder him from attaining the habitation of the celestial
Beauty. He must sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain from
boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other gifts as God may
have bestowed upon him. He must search after the truth to the utmost of his
ability and exertion, that God may guide him in the paths of His favour and the
ways of His mercy. For He, verily, is the best of helpers unto His servants. He
saith, and He verily speaketh the truth: “Whoso maketh efforts for Us, in Our
ways shall We assuredly guide him.” [Qur’án 29:69] And furthermore: “Fear God
and God will give you knowledge.”
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’,
‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
Nov 1, 2014
independent search after truth
Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of
longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and
ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His
loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be
dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of
knowledge and certitude envelop his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald,
bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God
resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will
awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence. Then
will the manifold favours and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting
Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed
with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the
manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the
soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door
that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude. He will discover in all
things the mysteries of divine Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting
manifestation.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan)
Oct 31, 2014
independent search after truth
The state in which one
should be to seriously search for the truth is the condition of the thirsty,
burning soul desiring the water of life, of the fish struggling to reach the
sea, of the sufferer seeking for the true doctor to obtain the divine cure, of
the lost caravan endeavoring to find the right road, of the lost and wandering
ship striving to reach the shore of salvation.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, table
talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’)
Oct 30, 2014
independent search after truth
The Bahá’í principle calling for investigation of reality
encourages an unfettered search for knowledge and truth by whoever wishes to
engage in it. When applied to the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, it inevitably
gives rise to a wide range of responses. Some, attracted to the Message,
embrace the Cause as their own. Some may respond positively to certain precepts
or principles and willingly collaborate toward shared aims. Some may find it to
be an interesting social phenomenon worthy of study. Still others, content with
their own beliefs, may reject its claims. Bahá’ís are taught to be respectful
of the views of others, believing that conscience should not be coerced.
(From
a letter dated 14 November 2005 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies; published in ‘Lights of Irfan’,
vol. 9, 2008)
Oct 29, 2014
independent search after truth
Therefore, the seeker must
be endowed with certain qualities. First of all, he must be just and severed
from all else save God; his heart must be entirely turned to the supreme
horizon; he must be free from the bondage of self and passion, for all these
are obstacles. Furthermore, he must be able to endure all hardships. He must be
absolutely pure and sanctified, and free from the love or the hatred of the
inhabitants of the world. Why? because the fact of his love for any person or
thing might prevent him from recognizing the truth in another, and, in the same
way, hatred for anything might be a hindrance in discerning truth. This is the
condition of seeking, and the seeker must have these
qualities and attributes. Until he reaches this condition, it is not possible
for him to attain to the Sun of Reality.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Some Answered
Questions’)
Oct 28, 2014
independent search after truth
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Four Valleys’)
Oct 27, 2014
independent search after truth
The
more we search for ourselves, the less likely we are to find ourselves; and the
more we search for God, and to serve our fellow-men, the more profoundly will
we become acquainted with ourselves, and the more inwardly assured. This is one
of the great spiritual laws of life.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, February
18, 1954; Lights of Guidance)
Oct 26, 2014
independent search after truth
Praise be to God! We are
living in this most radiant century wherein human
perceptions have developed and investigations of real foundations characterize
mankind. Individually and collectively man is proving and penetrating into the
reality of outer and inner conditions. Therefore, it has come to pass that we
are renouncing all that savors of blind imitation, and impartially and
independently investigating truth.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha,
from a talk, November 18, 1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal
Peace’)
Oct 25, 2014
independent search after truth
O My servant! My holy, My divinely ordained Revelation may
be likened unto an ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable pearls of
great price, of surpassing luster. It is the duty of every seeker to bestir
himself and strive to attain the shores of this ocean, so that he may, in
proportion to the eagerness of his search and the efforts he hath exerted,
partake of such benefits as have been pre- ordained in God's irrevocable and
hidden Tablets....
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening our Knowledge
of the Faith)
Oct 24, 2014
independent search after truth
It is not surprising that individual
Bahá'ís hold and express different and sometimes defective understandings of
the Teachings; this is but an evidence of the magnitude of the change that this
Revelation is to effect in human consciousness. As believers with various
insights into the Teachings converse -- with patience, tolerance and open and
unbiased minds -- a deepening of comprehension should take place. The strident
insistence on individual views, however, can lead to contention, which is
detrimental not only to the spirit of Bahá'í association and collaboration but
to the search for truth itself.
(From a letter dated 8 February 1998 written on behalf of
the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)
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