First is knowledge: man must attain to the knowledge of God.
Second is faith.
Third is steadfastness.
Fourth is truthfulness, for truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of the human world, and without it prosperity and salvation are unattainable to any soul in all the worlds of God. Whensoever this holy attribute becometh securely established in one’s being, the acquisition of all heavenly virtues will be realized.
Fifth is trustworthiness, a quality which ranketh among the greatest of all divine bestowals.
Sixth is faithfulness, another quality which ranketh among the finest attributes of a spiritual man.
Seventh is utter self-effacement, by which is meant that man should so surrender his will to God, and become so oblivious of his own pursuits, that he may attain unto the station of living sacrifice: Thus, if he sleepeth, it should not be for the sake of bodily repose, but solely to recuperate his strength in order that his discourse may be clearer, his utterance more pleasing, and that he may serve God’s creatures and expound His proofs; and if he waketh, he should remain alert, engage in service to the Cause of God, and utterly submerge his own desires and inclinations in the will of God. When he attaineth unto this station, the confirmations of the Holy Spirit shall surround him, and, armed with such a power, he shall be capable of withstanding all the peoples of the earth.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Extract from a Tablet; ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’; Online Baha’i Reference Library, Baha’i World Centre)
