One of the characteristics of Baha'i society will be the
gathering of the believers each day during the hours between dawn and two hours
after sunrise to listen to the reading and chanting of the Holy Word. In many
communities at the present time, especially in rural ones, such gatherings
would fit naturally into the pattern of the friends' daily life, and where this
is the case it would do much to foster the unity of the local community and
deepen the friends' knowledge of the Teachings if such gatherings could be
organized by the Local Spiritual Assembly on a regular basis. Attendance at
these gatherings is not to be obligatory, but we hope that the friends will
more and more be drawn to take part in them. This is a goal which can be
attained gradually. - The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated
Naw-Ruz 1974 to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal
House of Justice 1963-1986’)
