O bird that singeth sweetly of the Abha Beauty! In this new
and wondrous dispensation the veils of superstition have been torn asunder and
the prejudices of eastern peoples stand condemned. Among certain nations of the
East, music was considered reprehensible, but in this new age the Manifest Light
hath, in His holy Tablets, specifically proclaimed that music, sung or played,
is spiritual food for soul and heart. The musician's art is among those arts
worthy of the highest praise, and it moveth the hearts of all who grieve.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l- Bahá’; The Compilation
of Compilations, vol. III, The Importance of Arts in Promoting the Faith)
