View of the San Bernardino Mountains from the University of Redlands Administration Building, February 2009 | ||
Redlands, California. | ||
Bahá’í Devotions. Day of Will in the Month of Beauty, 162. | ||
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Devotions for Mothers’ Day of 2005. With annotated footnotes. | ||
There are four
readers for this devotional program.
One reader in this font reads the Prayer for Detachment of Baha’u’llah. Another reader reading this font
reads passages from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
A third reader
reads the passages of Baha’u’llah in this font.
The
fourth reader reads passages of the Báb and the
Qur’an in this font.
The passages are short, but there are many of them. A straight-through reading requires
only 11 minutes, so pauses between passages will help stretch this out to 15
minutes, allowing time for children to join for singing devotional songs.
Many of the passages in today’s devotions come from letters
written to specific individuals. Whether the warnings included in these letters are applicable to all of
us or should be taken more specifically as communications for specific people
and times is up to the individual to decide. The themes of mortality and God’s judgment are
followed by themes of changes required by the world and envisioned by Baha’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Mixed between the short passages are elements of a prayer
for detachment. The juxtaposition
of the prayer of detachment with the warnings about mortality are an attempt to
get at the root of the terror-management aspect of religion. That is, some element of people’s
devotion to God is tainted by their fear of death and their hope of salvation,
but religion asks us to be detached and removed from our own self (fears) and more
centered on love for God and service to God, even if God should ask us to
sacrifice our lives and be as nothing. The passages about what will soon come to pass – the
transformation of the world through the efforts of enlightened souls to spread
a new world order — are also supposed to contrast with detachment,
reminding us of the importance of pure motives and reliance on God, as opposed
to following our own visions of a glorious future divorced from God’s guidance.
Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee,
So, for this lamp, the decreed fate is that
the oil burns
and will be consumed;
therefore,
its eventual extinction is a decree
which it is impossible to alter or to change
because it is a decreed fate.
In the same way,
in the body of man a power of life has been created,
and as soon as it is destroyed and ended,
the body will certainly be decomposed,
so when the oil in this lamp is burnt and finished,
the lamp will undoubtedly become extinguished. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
[1]
Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee,
Thou art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away as decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. [2] –Bahá’u’lláh
Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace,
Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed,
Soon
will your swiftly-passing days be over,
and the fame and riches,
the comforts, the joys provided by this
rubbish-heap, the world,
will be gone without a trace
[3]
. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed,
My sighs, O my God,
Soon shall ye be gathered together in the presence of God, and shall be asked of your doings, and shall be repaid for what your hands have wrought, and wretched the abode of the wicked doers! [4] –Bahá’u’lláh
My sighs, O my God,
Soon will our handful of days, our vanishing life, be gone, and we shall pass, empty-handed, into the hollow that is dug for those who speak no more; wherefore must we bind our hearts to the manifest Beauty, and cling to the lifeline that faileth never [5] . -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
I beseech Thee,
This mortal
life is sure to perish;
its pleasures are bound to fade away
and ere long ye shall return unto God,
distressed with pangs of remorse,
for presently ye shall be roused from
your slumber,
and ye shall soon find yourselves in
the presence of God
and will be asked of your doings
[6]
.
–the Báb
I beseech Thee,
Hath thy pomp
made thee proud?
By My Life! It
shall not endure;
nay, it shall soon pass away,
unless thou holdest fast by this firm Cord [7] . –Bahá’u’lláh
Help us then to quaff, O my God,
And they who act
unjustly
shall soon know what lot awaiteth them!...
[8]
Qur'an 26:227.
Help us then to quaff, O my God,
Soon shall the blasts of His chastisement beat upon you,
and the dust of hell enshroud you [9] . –Bahá’u’lláh
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest.
The days in which We have been compelled to dwell in the dust
will soon be ended,
as will the days in which they
occupied the seats of honor
[10]
.
–Bahá’u’lláh
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest.
Thou art indeed
filled with manifest pride.
Hath thine outward splendour made thee
vainglorious?
By Him Who is the
Lord of mankind! It shall soon perish,
and thy daughters and thy widows
and all the kindreds that dwell within thee shall lament
[11]
.
–Bahá’u’lláh
Glorified be Thy name, O Thou Who art
the King of all Kings!
Indeed God
hath permitted no one to pass unfair judgment,
and if thou wouldst fain do so,
then soon shalt thou learn
[12]
. –the Báb
Glorified be Thy name, O
Thou Who art the King of all Kings!
It
is my hope that in His bounty He will soon raise up these souls,
that His Cause may be exalted.
[13]
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá
I beseech Thee, …
My
prayer and ardent supplication,
at eventide and at dawn,
is that these shining stars
may soon shed their radiance upon the
world,
that their sacred countenances may be
unveiled to mortal eyes,
that the hosts of divine assistance may
achieve their victory,
and the billows of grace,
rising from His oceans above,
may flow upon all mankind
[14]
. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Help us then to quaff, O my God,
If
actions took the place of words,
the world's misery would very soon be changed into comfort.
[15]
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Help us then to quaff, O my God,
If
these religious prejudices could be swept away, the nations would soon enjoy
peace and concord
[16]
. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
I beseech Thee, …
to grant
that we may be numbered among them that have recognized
Thee
If
only the whole world would acknowledge the greatness of Muhammad and all the
Heaven-sent Teachers,
strife and discord would soon vanish from the face of the earth,
and God's Kingdom would come among men16. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
that we may
utterly forget all else except Thee,
and be occupied only with Thy Self.
If
men followed the Holy Counsels and the Teachings of the Prophets, if Divine
Light shone in all hearts and men were really religious, we should soon see
peace on earth and the Kingdom of God among men
[17]
. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed,
for my soul burneth with
thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee.
Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead [18] . –Bahá’u’lláh
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest.
No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty,
Soon the spirit will have dominion over the
world of humanity.
[19]
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest.
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
[20]
. -‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace,
The
light of the unity of mankind is beginning to illumine the world, and soon the
banner of Divine harmony and the solidarity of nations will be flying high in
the Heavens. Yea, the breezes of the Holy Spirit will inspire the whole world!
[21]
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee,
and to
abide within the precincts of Thy court,
Verily God
shall soon reward thee and those who have believed in His signs with an
excellent reward from His presence
[22]
. –the Báb
Glorified be Thy name, O
Thou Who art the King of all Kings!
Notes
[1]
This is from Some Answered Questions. The full quotation is:
Question. Is the predestination which is
mentioned in the Holy Books a decreed thing? If so, is not the effort to avoid
it useless?
Answer. Fate is of two kinds: one is decreed, and the other is
conditional or impending. The decreed fate is that which cannot change or be
altered, and conditional fate is that which may occur. So, for this lamp, the
decreed fate is that the oil burns and will be consumed; therefore, its
eventual extinction is a decree which it is impossible to alter or to change
because it is a decreed fate. In the same way, in the body of man a power of
life has been created, and as soon as it is destroyed and ended, the body will
certainly be decomposed, so when the oil in this lamp is burnt and finished,
the lamp will undoubtedly become extinguished.
But conditional fate may be likened
to this: while there is still oil, a violent wind blows on the lamp, which
extinguishes it. This is a conditional fate. It is wise to avoid it, to protect
oneself from it, to be cautious and circumspect. But the decreed fate, which is
like the finishing of the oil in the lamp, cannot be altered, changed nor
delayed. It must happen; it is inevitable that the lamp will become
extinguished.
[2] This is from an angry letter (Tablet of the Proof) revealed by Bahá’u’lláh to the Sheik Mohamed Bakir (Shaykh Muhammad Báqir) after the sheik has been involved in leading vicious and bloody persecutions against Bahá'ís. Baha’u’llah used the phrase again in His tablet to the sheik’s son “Tablet to the Son of the Wolf” in a slightly different form. Hath the Sháh been informed, and chosen to close his eyes to thine acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the howling of a pack of wolves who have cast the Path of God behind their backs and
followed in thy way without any clear proof or Book? We have heard that the
provinces of Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice. When We observed closely, however, We found them to be the
dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice. We behold justice in
the clutches of tyranny. We beseech God to set it free through the power of His
might and His sovereignty. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. To none is given the right to protest
against anyone concerning that which hath befallen the
Cause of God. It behoveth whosoever hath set his face
towards the Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the cord of
patience, and to put his reliance in God, the Help in Peril, the Unconstrained.
O ye loved ones of God! Drink your fill from the well-spring of wisdom, and walk ye in the garden of wisdom,
and soar ye in the atmosphere of wisdom, and speak forth with wisdom and
eloquence. Thus biddeth you your Lord, the Almighty,
the All-Knowing.
O Báqir!
Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou art even as the last trace of
sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade
away, as decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most
High. Thy glory and the glory of such as are like thee have been taken away,
and this verily is what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where is he to be found who contended with God, and
whither is gone he that gainsaid His signs, and turned aside from His
sovereignty? Where are they who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood
of His holy ones? Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts, O foolish
doubter!
In the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (the son of Mohamed Bakir) the only alteration is in the opening address: “O heedless one! Rely not on thy
glory, and thy power. Thou art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away as decreed by God, the
All-Possessing, the Most High.
Probably the warning and
complaints from these passages could be taken as specific to these rather
wicked persons who committed unspeakable crimes, or one could take the warnings
more generally as addressed to the wayward or wicked spirit or action in all of
us.
[3] This passage comes from one the most stirring calls to a life of service and teaching given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha. It is collected in Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá where it is found in this context: The Faith of the Blessed Beauty is
summoning mankind to safety and love, to amity and peace; it hath raised up its tabernacle on the heights of the earth, and directeth its call to all nations. Wherefore, O ye who are
God’s lovers, know ye the value of this precious Faith, obey its teachings,
walk in this road that is drawn straight, and show ye this way to the people.
Lift up your voices and sing out the song of the Kingdom. Spread far and wide
the precepts and counsels of the loving Lord, so that this world will change
into another world, and this darksome earth will be flooded with light, and the
dead body of mankind will arise and live; so that
every soul will ask for immortality, through the holy breaths of God.
Soon will your swiftly-passing days be over, and the fame and riches, the comforts, the joys provided by this
rubbish-heap, the world, will be gone without a trace. Summon ye, then, the
people to God, and invite humanity to follow the example of the Company on
high. Be ye loving fathers to the orphan, and a refuge to the helpless, and a
treasury for the poor, and a cure for the ailing. Be ye the helpers of every
victim of oppression, the patrons of the disadvantaged. Think ye at all times
of rendering some service to every member of the human race. Pay ye no heed to
aversion and rejection, to disdain, hostility, injustice:
act ye in the opposite way. Be ye sincerely kind, not in appearance only. Let
each one of God’s loved ones centre his attention on this: to be the Lord’s
mercy to man; to be the Lord’s grace. Let him do some
good to every person whose path he crosseth, and be of some benefit to him. Let him improve the character of
each and all, and reorient the minds of men. In this way, the light of divine
guidance will shine forth, and the blessings of God will cradle all mankind:
for love is light, no matter in what abode it dwelleth;
and hate is darkness, no matter where it may make its nest.
Such exhortations by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are appealing and attractive to many
hearts. It’s my hope that the
Bahá'í community will focus on becoming more of an embodiment of the spirit
suggested by this sort of passage.
It’s also worth noting that
the noble existence we’re called to live contrasts with the aimless selfishness
that modern society encourages, and in weighing the relative advantages of a
life drowning in the waters of consumerism versus a life of sacrifice and
service we ought to take the shortness of our life into account. This is a gentle way of warning us as
some later quotations do more bluntly.
[4] This is another warning addressed specifically to powerful persons that may or may not have relevance to the rest of us, depending upon your point of view. It comes from a long letter Bahá’u’lláh wrote to the kings and rulers of the earth, called the Súriy-i-Mulük. Shoghi Effendi translated this particular portion of the Súriy-i-Muluk and put it in Gleanings, but the entire original in English translation is now available in Summons of the Lord of Hosts where you can read and understand that Bahá’u’lláh had a low opinion of those in power during His days. The context of the quotation? It comes in a passage that seems specifically aimed at the “Minister of the Shah in the City” rather than generally addressed to all the rulers or people of the world. Here follows two passages that go along in this theme:
…We intend only to impart unto you
the truth, that ye might be informed thereof and be of
them that lead a godly life. Beware lest ye give ear to the words of those from
whom the foul smell of malice and envy can be discerned; pay no heed to them,
and stand ye for righteousness.
Know ye that the world and its
vanities and its embellishments shall pass away. Nothing will endure except
God’s Kingdom which pertaineth to none but Him, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Help in Peril, the
All-Glorious, the Almighty. The days of your life shall roll away, and all the
things with which ye are occupied and of which ye boast yourselves shall
perish, and ye shall, most certainly, be summoned by a company of His angels to
appear at the spot where the limbs of the entire creation shall be made to
tremble, and the flesh of every oppressor to creep. Ye shall be asked of the
things your hands have wrought in this, your vain life, and shall be repaid for
your doings. This is the day that shall inevitably come upon you, the hour that
none can put back. To this the Tongue of Him that speaketh the truth and is the Knower of all things hath testified.
Fear God, ye inhabitants of the City,
and sow not the seeds of dissension amongst men. Walk not in the paths of the Evil One. Walk ye,
during the few remaining days of your life, in the ways of the one true God.
Your days shall pass away as have the days of them who were before you. To dust
shall ye return, even as your fathers of old did return….
… I have frequented no other
gatherings in which thou couldst have learned My mind
or in which any other could have done so. How, then, didst thou pronounce thy
verdict against Me, when thou hadst not heard My testimony from Mine own lips? Hast thou not heard what God,
exalted be His glory, hath said: "Say not to everyone who meeteth you with a greeting, ‘Thou art not a
believer’." "Thrust not away those who cry to their Lord at morn and even,
craving to behold His face." Thou hast indeed forsaken what the Book of God hath prescribed, and yet
thou deemest thyself to be a believer!
Despite what thou hast done I
entertain—and to this God is My witness—no ill will against thee,
nor against anyone, though from thee and others We receive such hurt as no
believer in the unity of God can sustain. My cause is in the hand of none except
God, and My trust is in no one else but Him. Erelong
shall your days pass away, as shall pass away the days of those who now, with
flagrant pride, vaunt themselves over their neighbour. Soon shall ye be
gathered together in the presence of God, and shall be asked of your doings,
and shall be repaid for what your hands have wrought, and wretched is the abode
of the wicked doers!
By God! Wert thou to realize what
thou hast done, thou wouldst surely weep sore over thyself, and wouldst flee
for refuge to God, and wouldst pine away and mourn all the days of thy life,
till God will have forgiven thee, for He, verily, is the Most Generous, the
All-Bountiful. Thou wilt, however, persist, till the hour of thy death, in thy
heedlessness, inasmuch as thou hast, with all thine heart, thy soul and inmost being, busied thyself with the vanities of the
world. Thou shalt, after thy departure, discover what
We have revealed unto thee, and shalt find all thy
doings recorded in the Book wherein the works of all them that dwell on earth,
be they greater or less than the weight of an atom, are noted down. Heed,
therefore, My counsel, and hearken thou, with the
hearing of thine heart, unto My speech, and be not
careless of My words, nor be of them that reject My truth.
[5] This is from a fairly well-known passage found in Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It’s another passage reminding Bahá'ís that life is short and its our duty to make a good show of our lives and our efforts to teach the message of Bahá’u’lláh by deeds and example (and also words). O ye roses in the garden of God’s
love! O ye bright lamps in the assemblage of His knowledge! May the soft
breathings of God pass over you, may the Glory of God illumine the horizon of
your hearts. Ye are the waves of the deep sea of
knowledge, ye are the massed armies on the plains of certitude, ye are the
stars in the skies of God’s compassion, ye are the stones that put the people
of perdition to flight, ye are clouds of divine pity over the gardens of life,
ye are the abundant grace of God’s oneness that is shed upon the essences of
all created things.
On the outspread tablet of this
world, ye are the verses of His singleness; and atop lofty palace towers, ye
are the banners of the Lord. In His bowers are ye the blossoms and
sweet-smelling herbs, in the rose garden of the spirit the nightingales that
utter plaintive cries. Ye are the birds that soar upward into the firmament of
knowledge, the royal falcons on the wrist of God.
Why then are ye quenched, why silent,
why leaden and dull? Ye must shine forth like the lightning, and raise up a clamouring like unto
the great sea. Like a candle must ye shed your light, and even as the soft
breezes of God must ye blow across the world. Even as sweet breaths from
heavenly bowers, as musk-laden winds from the gardens of the Lord, must ye
perfume the air for the people of knowledge, and even as the splendours shed by the true Sun, must ye illumine the
hearts of humankind. For ye are the life-laden winds, ye are the jessamine-scents from the gardens of the saved. Bring then
life to the dead, and awaken those who slumber. In the darkness of the world be
ye radiant flames; in the sands of perdition, be ye well-springs of the water of life, be ye guidance from the Lord God. Now is the time to
serve, now is the time to be on fire. Know ye the value of this chance, this favourable juncture that is limitless grace, ere it slip
from your hands.
Soon will our handful of days, our
vanishing life, be gone, and we shall pass, empty-handed, into the hollow that
is dug for those who speak no more; wherefore must we bind our hearts to the
manifest Beauty, and cling to the lifeline that faileth never. We must gird ourselves for service, kindle love’s flame, and burn away
in its heat. We must loose our tongues till we set the wide world’s heart
afire, and with bright rays of guidance blot out the armies of the night, and
then, for His sake, on the field of sacrifice, fling down our lives.
Thus let us scatter over every people
the treasured gems of the recognition of God, and with the decisive blade of
the tongue, and the sure arrows of knowledge, let us defeat the hosts of self
and passion, and hasten onward to the site of martyrdom, to the place where we
die for the Lord. And then, with flying flags, and to the beat of drums, let us
pass into the realm of the All-Glorious, and join the
Company on high.
Well is it with the doers of great
deeds.
[6] This is found in Selections from the Writings of the Báb and I believe it was part of a letter written in the late 1840s (probably a part translated by Shoghi Effendi). This is from the same passage where we get the idea that these are the days of the “Advent of Divine Justice” as described by Shoghi Effendi in his book by that title.
Say, this earthly life shall come to
an end, and everyone shall expire and return unto my Lord God Who will reward
with the choicest gifts the deeds of those who endure with patience. Verily thy
God assigneth the measure of all created things as He willeth, by virtue of His behest; and those who
conform to the good-pleasure of your Lord, they are indeed among the blissful.
Thy Lord hath never raised up a prophet in the past who failed to summon the
people to His Lord, and today is truly similar to the times of old, were ye to
ponder over the verses revealed by God.
When God sent forth His Prophet
Muhammad, on that day the termination of the prophetic cycle was foreordained
in the knowledge of God. Yea, that promise hath indeed come true and the decree
of God hath been accomplished as He hath ordained. Assuredly we are today
living in the Days of God. These are the glorious days on the like of which the
sun hath never risen in the past. These are the days which the people in bygone times eagerly expected. What hath then befallen you that
ye are fast asleep? These are the days wherein God hath caused the Day-Star of
Truth to shine resplendent. What hath then caused you to keep your silence?
These are the appointed days which ye have been
yearningly awaiting in the past—the days of the advent of divine justice.
Render ye thanks unto God, O ye concourse of believers.
Let not the deeds of those who reject
the Truth shut you out as by a veil. Such people have warrant over your bodies
only, and God hath not reposed in them power over your spirits, your souls and
your hearts. Fear ye God that haply it may be well with you. All things have
been created for your sakes, and for the sake of naught else hath your creation
been ordained. Fear ye God and take heed lest forms and apparels debar you from
recognizing Him. Render ye thanksgiving unto God that perchance He may deal
mercifully with you.
This mortal life is sure to perish;
its pleasures are bound to fade away and ere long ye shall return unto God,
distressed with pangs of remorse, for presently ye shall be roused from your
slumber, and ye shall soon find yourselves in the presence of God and will be
asked of your doings.
Say, how dare ye flagrantly deny the
verses sent down from the heaven of justice, yet ye read the Books of God
revealed in the past? How do ye repudiate the meeting with your Lord which was appointed with you aforetime, and fail in
this Day to heed His warning? Indeed, by adhering to forms and by following the
promptings of your selfish desires, ye have deprived yourselves of the
good-pleasure of your Lord, except those whom their Lord hath endowed with
knowledge and who in this Day render thanks unto Him for the bounty of being
identified with the true Faith of God. Therefore announce ye the Message unto
those who manifest virtue and teach them the ways of the One True God, that haply they may comprehend….
[7] This is from the widely quoted letter Bahá’u’lláh revealed for Napoleon III of France. It was quoted in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and has been used in many other Bahá'í books. As with many of today’s quotations, you can decide for yourself whether these admonishments and warnings have any applicability to leaders today or to common people who read these. O King! We heard the words thou didst
utter in answer to the Czar of Russia, concerning the decision made regarding
the war (Crimean War). Thy Lord, verily, knoweth, is
informed of all. Thou didst say: ‘I lay asleep upon my couch, when the cry of
the oppressed, who were drowned in the Black Sea, wakened me.’ This is what we
heard thee say, and, verily, thy Lord is witness unto what I say. We testify
that that which wakened thee was not their cry but the promptings of thine own passions, for We tested
thee, and found thee wanting. Comprehend the meaning of My words, and be thou of the discerning. It is not Our wish to address thee words of condemnation, out of regard for the dignity We
conferred upon thee in this mortal life. We, verily, have chosen courtesy, and
made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto Him. Courtesy, is, in truth, a raiment which fitteth all men,
whether young or old. Well is it with him that adorneth his temple therewith, and woe unto him who is deprived of this great bounty. Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst have not
cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is
the Almighty, the All-Wise. We have proved thee through it, and found thee
other than that which thou didst profess. Arise, and make amends for that which
escaped thee. Ere long the world and all that thou possessest will perish, and the kingdom will remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy
fathers of old. It behoveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires.
Fear the sighs of this Wronged One, and shield Him from the darts of such as
act unjustly.
For what thou hast done, thy kingdom
shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire
shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that
which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred.
Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ) in this, the Straight Path. Hath
thy pomp made thee proud? By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon
pass away, unless thou holdest fast by this firm
Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of the heedless.
It behoveth thee when thou hearest His Voice calling from the seat of glory to cast away all that thou possessest, and cry out: ‘Here am I, O Lord of all that is
in heaven and all that is on earth!’
[8] Baha’u’llah uses this passage from the Quran in a passage complaining about the unfair persecutions of Bahá'ís in the Middle East. The passage can be found in Gleanings. …By what law or standard could men be
justified in cleaving to the denials of such petty-minded souls and in ignoring
the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake of the good pleasure of
God, their life and substance, their fame and renown, their reputation and
honor?...
With what love, what devotion, what
exultation and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this all witness. And yet, how
can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age witnessed such momentous
happenings? If these companions be not the true strivers
after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these companions
been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they
cherished any desire except the good pleasure of God? If these companions, with
all their marvelous testimonies and wondrous works, be false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by God! Their
very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all the
peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries of
Divine Revelation. “And they who act unjustly shall soon know what lot awaiteth them!”...
Consider these martyrs of
unquestionable sincerity, to whose truthfulness testifieth the explicit text of the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed, have
sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives, their children, their all,
and ascended unto the loftiest chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject the
testimony of these detached and exalted beings to the truth of this pre-eminent
and Glorious Revelation, and to regard as acceptable the denunciations which
have been uttered against this resplendent Light by this faithless people, who
for gold have forsaken their faith, and who for the sake of leadership have
repudiated Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind?
[9] This is from one of Baha’u’lláh’s warnings that seems aimed at everyone. Specifically it comes from a passage warning that people will suffer hardships and tribulations if they turn away from God (implying that the way toward peace and good times is to follow spiritual truth and law). Shoghi Effendi took this passage to warn of the wars and unspeakable horrors of the 20th Century (and evidently the 21st Century, from what we have seen so far). The original passage is found in Gleanings. Grieve thou not over those that have
busied themselves with the things of this world, and have forgotten the
remembrance of God, the Most Great. By Him Who is the Eternal Truth! The day is
approaching when the wrathful anger of the Almighty will have taken hold of
them. He, verily, is the Omnipotent, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful. He shall cleanse the earth from the defilement of their
corruption, and shall give it for an heritage unto
such of His servants as are nigh unto Him.
Say: O people! Dust
fill your mouths, and ashes blind your eyes, for having bartered away
the Divine Joseph for the most paltry of prices. Oh, the misery that resteth upon you, ye that are far astray! Have ye imagined
in your hearts that ye possess the power to outstrip Him and His Cause? Far
from it! To this He, Himself, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most
Great, doth testify.
Soon shall the blasts of His
chastisement beat upon you, and the dust of hell enshroud you. Those men who, having amassed the vanities and ornaments of the earth,
have turned away disdainfully from God—these have lost both this world
and the world to come. Ere long, will God, with the Hand of Power, strip them
of their possessions, and divest them of the robe of His bounty. To this they
themselves shall soon witness. Thou, too, shalt testify.
Say: O people! Let not this life and
its deceits deceive you, for the world and all that is therein is held firmly
in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His favor on
whom He willeth, and from whom He willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He chooseth. Had the world been of any worth in His sight, He
surely would never have allowed His enemies to possess it, even to the extent
of a grain of mustard seed. He hath, however, caused you to be entangled with
its affairs, in return for what your hands have wrought in His Cause. This,
indeed, is a chastisement which ye, of your own will,
have inflicted upon yourselves, could ye but perceive it. Are ye rejoicing in
the things which, according to the estimate of God, are contemptible and
worthless, things wherewith He proveth the hearts of
the doubtful?
[10] This passage seems to come from Bahá’u’lláh’s letter (one of His letters?) to the awful Sultán ‘Abd’l-‘Azíz. At least in Gleanings where it is found it follows passages that come from the letter to the Turkish Sultan. That letter is also found in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and the Súriy-i-Mulúk (Found in Summons of the Lord of Hosts) Thou art God’s shadow on earth.
Strive, therefore, to act in such a manner as befitteth so eminent, so august a station. If thou dost depart from following the things We have caused to descend upon thee and taught thee, thou
wilt, assuredly, be derogating from that great and priceless honor. Return,
then, and cleave wholly unto God, and cleanse thine heart from the world and all its vanities, and suffer not the love of any
stranger to enter and dwell therein. Not until thou dost purify thine heart from every trace of such love can the
brightness of the light of God shed its radiance upon it, for to none hath God
given more than one heart. This, verily, hath been decreed and written down in
His ancient Book. And as the human heart, as fashioned by God, is one and
undivided, it behoveth thee to take heed that its
affections be, also, one and undivided. Cleave thou, therefore, with the whole
affection of thine heart, unto His love, and withdraw
it from the love of any one besides Him, that He may aid thee to immerse
thyself in the ocean of His unity, and enable thee to become a true upholder of
His oneness. God is My witness. My sole purpose in
revealing to thee these words is to sanctify thee from the transitory things of
the earth, and aid thee to enter the realm of everlasting glory, that thou mayest, by the leave of God, be of them that abide and rule
therein....
I swear by God, O King! It is not My wish to make My plaint to thee against them that
persecute Me. I only plead My grief and My sorrow to God, Who hath created Me
and them, Who well knoweth our state and Who watcheth over all things. My wish is to warn them of the
consequences of their actions, if perchance they might desist from treating
others as they have treated Me, and be of them that
heed My warning.
The tribulations that have touched
Us, the destitution from which We suffer, the various troubles with which We
are encompassed, shall all pass away, as shall pass away the pleasures in which
they delight and the affluence they enjoy. This is the truth
which no man on earth can reject. The days in which We have been compelled to dwell in the dust will soon be ended, as will the days
in which they occupied the seats of honor. God shall, assuredly, judge with
truth between Us and them, and He, verily, is the best
of judges.
We render thanks unto God for
whatsoever hath befallen Us, and We patiently endure
the things He hath ordained in the past or will ordain in the future. In Him
have I placed My trust; and into His hands have I
committed My Cause. He will, certainly, repay all them that endure with
patience and put their confidence in Him. His is the creation and its empire.
He exalteth whom He will, and whom He will He doth
abase. He shall not be asked of His doings. He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the Almighty.
[11] This passage comes from a complaint against Constantinople (Istanbul) inserted into the end of the Most Great Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas). As with most other quotations today, you can either take this as a specific warning to a specific city and its inhabitants at a particular time, or you can find wider application of the essence from this passage, and perhaps apply it to cities or people of today.
O Spot that art situate on the shores
of the two seas! The throne of tyranny hath, verily, been stablished upon thee, and the flame of hatred hath been kindled within thy bosom, in such
wise that the Concourse on high and they who circle around the Exalted Throne
have wailed and lamented. We behold in thee the foolish ruling over the wise,
and darkness vaunting itself against the light. Thou art indeed filled with
manifest pride. Hath thine outward splendor made thee
vainglorious? By Him Who is the Lord of mankind! It shall soon perish, and thy
daughters and thy widows and all the kindreds that
dwell within thee shall lament. Thus informeth thee
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
[12] This is from a letter written by the Báb to Muhammad Sháh, the king of Persia from 1834 to 1848. Like the later letters of Bahá’u’lláh to the kings and rulers, this letter warns that the world is relatively unimportant compared to spiritual matters, and that the Manifestation of God doesn’t care so much for worldly power. … I swear by Him Who createth all beings and unto Whom all shall return, if
anyone at the hour of death beareth hatred towards Me
or disputeth the clear tokens wherewith I have been
invested, then naught but afflictive torment shall be
his lot. On that day no ransom will be accepted, nor will any intercession be
permitted, unless God so please. Verily He is the All-Compelling, the All-Glorious; and no God is there other than Him, the
sovereign Ruler, the Almighty, the Most Severe.
If thou rejoicest in My imprisonment, woe then unto thee for the
grievous torment which will soon overtake thee. Indeed God hath permitted no
one to pass unfair judgement, and if thou wouldst
fain do so, then soon shalt thou learn.
From the first day that I cautioned
thee not to wax proud before God until the present time, four years have
elapsed, and during this space naught have I witnessed, either from thee or
from thy soldiers, except dire oppression and disdainful arrogance. Methinks
thou dost imagine that I wish to gain some paltry substance from this earthly
life. Nay, by the righteousness of My Lord! In the estimation of them that have
fixed their eyes upon the merciful Lord, the riches of the world and its
trappings are worth as much as the eye of a dead body, nay even less. Far from
His glory be what they associate with Him!... I seek
patience only in God. Verily He is the best protector and the best helper. No
refuge do I seek save God. Verily He is the guardian
and the best supporter...
I swear by the glory of God, My Lord,
the Most Exalted, the Most Great, He assuredly, as is divinely ordained, will
make His Cause shine resplendent, while there will be no helper for the unjust.
If thou hast any scheme, produce thy scheme. Indeed every revelation of
authority proceedeth from God. In Him do I trust and
unto Him do I turn.
Hast thou heard anyone of old passing
a judgement similar to the one thou didst contrive or
like unto that whereto thou didst give thine assent?
Woe then unto the oppressors! Both thine intentions
and the manner in which thou dealest with the people
clearly demonstrate thine infidelity towards God,
hence He hath ordained a severe chastisement for thee. Verily I seek patience
only in God, and Him do I regard as the goal of My desire. This signifieth that I have the undoubted
Truth on My side.
[13] This is from a message ‘Abdu’l-Bahá evidently sent to some Bahá'ís or a Bahá'í to offer encouragement and hope about the future role of Bahá'ís in the world. In it we learn that Baha’u’lláh promised (directly when He was alive, or spiritually after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was leader of the Bahá'í community?) that some souls would appear who would help to lead the world toward its destiny. It seems likely this is a reference to the Bahá'ís in general, or the better Bahá'ís, or even only the Hands of the Cause of God. It’s also possible, if we understand “their Cause” more broadly as the general spirit of the Bahá'í Revelation, that this passage refers to all sorts of people, whether “card-carrying” Bahá'í or not, who could help establish the Lesser Peace and Greater Peace. O thou who art enamoured of the Covenant! The Blessed Beauty hath promised this servant that souls would
be raised up who would be the very embodiments of guidance, and banners of the
Concourse on high, torches of God’s oneness, and stars of His pure truth,
shining in the heavens where God reigneth alone. They
would give sight to the blind, and would make the deaf to hear; they would
raise the dead to life. They would confront all the peoples of the earth,
pleading their Cause with proofs of the Lord of the seven spheres.
It is my hope that in His bounty He
will soon raise up these souls, that His Cause may be exalted. The lodestone which will attract this grace is staunchness in
the Covenant. Render thou thanks unto God that thou art firmest of the firm.
O my God, aid Thou Thy servant to raise up the Word, and to refute what is vain and false, to
establish the truth, to spread the sacred verses abroad, reveal the splendours, and make the morning’s light to dawn in the
hearts of the righteous.
Thou art verily the Generous, the
Forgiving.
[14] In this letter ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is more clearly and obviously describing the Bahá'ís. Is it a description of Bahá'ís in general or only the best Bahá'ís? I don’t know. Whether this is a description of an ideal situation that Bahá'ís should achieve or a description of the Bahá'í community as it exists or existed… well, that’s not entirely clear either. … These shall labour ceaselessly, by day and by night, shall heed neither trials nor woe, shall
suffer no respite in their efforts, shall seek no repose, shall disregard all
ease and comfort, and, detached and unsullied, shall consecrate every fleeting
moment of their lives to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the
exaltation of God’s holy Word. Their faces will radiate heavenly gladness, and
their hearts be filled with joy. Their souls will be inspired, and their foundation stand secure. They shall scatter in the world,
and travel throughout all regions. They shall raise their voices in every
assembly, and adorn and revive every gathering. They shall speak in every
tongue, and interpret every hidden meaning. They shall reveal the mysteries of
the Kingdom, and manifest unto everyone the signs of God. They shall burn
brightly even as a candle in the heart of every assembly, and beam forth as a
star upon every horizon. The gentle breezes wafted from the garden of their
hearts shall perfume and revive the souls of men, and the revelations of their
minds, even as showers, will reinvigorate the peoples
and nations of the world.
I am waiting, eagerly waiting for
these holy ones to appear; and yet, how long will they delay their coming? My
prayer and ardent supplication, at eventide and at dawn, is that these shining
stars may soon shed their radiance upon the world, that their sacred
countenances may be unveiled to mortal eyes, that the hosts of divine
assistance may achieve their victory, and the billows of grace, rising from His
oceans above, may flow upon all mankind. Pray ye also and supplicate unto Him
that through the bountiful aid of the Ancient Beauty these souls may be
unveiled to the eyes of the world….
[15] This comes from a lecture ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave in Paris, France in October 1911. The theme was our duty (as human beings, and perhaps especially as Bahá'ís) to show kindness and sympathy toward strangers and foreigners. Like all his reported talks, one must be careful about this, as it may have been mistranslated or misunderstood, and I don't know if ‘Abdu’l-Bahá actually said what he is reported to have said in Paris Talks. Here is some more of the talk: Put into practice the Teaching of Bahá’u’lláh, that of kindness to all nations. Do not be
content with showing friendship in words alone, let
your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.
Oh, you of the Western nations, be
kind to those who come from the Eastern world to sojourn among you. Forget your
conventionality when you speak with them; they are not accustomed to it. To
Eastern peoples this demeanour seems cold,
unfriendly. Rather let your manner be sympathetic. Let
it be seen that you are filled with universal love. When you meet a Persian or
any other stranger, speak to him as to a friend; if he seems to be lonely try
to help him, give him of your willing service; if he be sad console him, if
poor succour him, if oppressed rescue him, if in
misery comfort him. In so doing you will manifest that not in words only, but
in deed and in truth, you think of all men as your brothers.
What profit is there in agreeing that
universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race
as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of
action, they are useless.
The wrong in the world continues to
exist just because people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive to put
them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery
would very soon be changed into comfort.
A man who does great good, and talks
not of it, is on the way to perfection.
The man who has accomplished a small
good and magnifies it in his speech is worth very little.
If I love you, I need not continually
speak of my love—you will know without any words. On the other hand if I
love you not, that also will you know—and you would not believe me, were I to tell you in a thousand words, that I loved you.
[16] There are two passages here from a talk ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave in Paris just a few days after the previous quotation (October 27, 1911). This is from a lecture on religious prejudice, and important and timely topic considering the state the world is in today. I don't know if there was a Persian translation of this English translation of French notes taken from the translator who helped that night, or if there were original Persian notes that the English translator used. So, take this as something ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is reported to have said. Here is the talk: The basis of the teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the Unity of Mankind, and his greatest
desire was that love and goodwill should live in the heart of men.
As He exhorted the people to do away
with strife and discord, so I wish to explain to you the principal reason of
the unrest among nations. The chief cause is the misrepresentation of religion
by the religious leaders and teachers. They teach their followers to believe
that their own form of religion is the only one pleasing to God, and that
followers of any other persuasion are condemned by the All-Loving Father and
deprived of His Mercy and Grace. Hence arise among the peoples, disapproval,
contempt, disputes and hatred. If these religious prejudices could be swept
away, the nations would soon enjoy peace and concord.
I was once at Tiberias where the Jews have a Temple. I was staying in a house just opposite the
Temple, and there I saw and heard a Rabbi speaking to his congregation of Jews,
and he spoke thus:
‘O Jews, you are in truth the people
of God! All other races and religions are of the devil. God has created you the
descendants of Abraham, and He has showered His blessings upon you. Unto you
God sent Moses, Jacob and Joseph, and many other great prophets. These
prophets, one and all, were of your race.
‘It was for you that God broke the
power of Pharaoh and caused the Red Sea to dry up; to you also He sent manna
from above to be your food, and out of the stony rock did He give you water to
quench your thirst. You are indeed the chosen people of God, you are above all the races of the earth! Therefore, all other races are
abhorrent to God, and condemned by Him. In truth you will govern and subdue the
world, and all men shall become your slaves.
‘Do not profane yourselves by
consorting with people who are not of your own religion, make not friends of
such men.’
When the Rabbi had finished his
eloquent discourse, his hearers were filled with joy and satisfaction. It is
impossible to describe to you their happiness!
Alas! It is misguided ones like these
who are the cause of division and hatred upon earth. Today there are millions
of people who still worship idols, and the great religions of the world are at
war among themselves. For 1,300 years, Christians and Mussulmans have been quarrelling, when with very little effort their differences and
disputes could be overcome and peace and harmony could exist between them and
the world could be at rest!
In the Qur’án we read that Muhammad spoke to his followers, saying:
‘Why do you not believe in Christ,
and in the Gospel? Why will you not accept Moses and the Prophets, for surely
the Bible is the Book of God? In truth, Moses was a sublime Prophet, and Jesus
was filled with the Holy Spirit. He came to the world through the Power of God,
born of the Holy Spirit and of the blessed Virgin
Mary. Mary, His mother, was a saint from Heaven. She passed her days in the
Temple at prayer and food was sent to her from above. Her father, Zacharias, came to her and asked her from whence the food
came, and Mary made answer, “From on high.” Surely God made Mary to be exalted
above all other women.’
This is what Muhammad taught His
people concerning Jesus and Moses, and He reproached them for their lack of
faith in these great Teachers, and taught them the lessons of truth and
tolerance. Muhammad was sent from God to work among a people as savage and
uncivilized as the wild beasts. They were quite devoid
of understanding, nor had they any feelings of love, sympathy and pity. Women
were so degraded and despised that a man could bury his daughter alive, and he
had as many wives to be his slaves as he chose.
Among these half animal people
Muhammad was sent with His divine Message. He taught the people that idol
worship was wrong, but that they should reverence Christ, Moses and the
Prophets. Under His influence they became a more enlightened and civilized
people and arose from the degraded state in which He found them. Was not this a
good work, and worthy of all praise, respect and love?
Look at the Gospel of the Lord Christ
and see how glorious it is! Yet even today men fail to understand its priceless
beauty, and misinterpret its words of wisdom.
Christ forbade war! When the disciple
Peter, thinking to defend his Lord, cut off the ear of the servant of the High
Priest, Christ said to him: ‘Put up thy sword into the sheath’. Yet, in spite
of the direct command of the Lord they profess to serve—men still
dispute, make war, and kill one another, and His counsels and teaching seem
quite forgotten.
But do not therefore attribute to the
Masters and Prophets the evil deeds of their followers. If the priests,
teachers and people, lead lives which are contrary to
the religion they profess to follow, is that the fault of Christ or the other
Teachers?
The people of Islám were taught to realize how Jesus came from God and was born of the Spirit, and
that He must be glorified of all men. Moses was a prophet of God, and revealed
in His day and for the people to whom He was sent, the Book of God.
Muhammad recognized the sublime
grandeur of Christ and the greatness of Moses and the prophets. If only the
whole world would acknowledge the greatness of Muhammad and all the Heaven-sent
Teachers, strife and discord would soon vanish from the face of the earth, and
God’s Kingdom would come among men.
The people of Islám who glorify Christ are not humiliated by so doing.
Christ was the Prophet of the
Christians, Moses of the Jews—why should not the followers of each
prophet recognize and honour the other prophets also?
If men could only learn the lesson of mutual tolerance, understanding, and
brotherly love, the unity of the world would soon be an established fact.
Bahá’u’lláh spent His life teaching this lesson of Love and Unity. Let us
then put away from us all prejudice and intolerance, and strive with all our
hearts and souls to bring about understanding and unity between Christians and Mussulmans….
[17] This is another passage from a talk given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during his stay in Paris (on November 21st, 1911). Like all these talks, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá may have said something quite close to this, or he may have been mistranslated or misheard. It is not easy to know. The quotation comes in this context: When we look into the pages of
history, past and present, we see the black earth reddened by human blood. Men
kill each other like the savage wolves, and forget the laws of love and
tolerance.
Now this luminous age has come,
bringing with it wonderful civilization and material progress. Men’s intellects
have widened, their perceptions grown, but alas, in spite of all this, fresh
blood is being spilt day by day. Look at the present Turco-Italian
war; consider for a moment the fate of these unhappy people! How many have been
killed during this sad time? How many homes are ruined, wives desolate, and
children orphans! And what is to be gained in exchange for all this anguish and
heartache? Only a corner of the earth!
This all shows that material progress
alone does not tend to uplift man. On the contrary, the more he becomes
immersed in material progress, the more does his spirituality become obscured.
In times gone by progress on the
material plane was not so rapid, neither was there bloodshed in such profusion.
In ancient warfare there were no cannons, no guns, no dynamite, no shells, no
torpedo boats, no battleships, no submarines. Now, owing to material
civilization, we have all these inventions, and war goes from bad to worse!
Europe itself has become like one immense arsenal, full of explosives, and may God prevent its ignition—for, should this happen,
the whole world would be involved.
I want to make you understand that
material progress and spiritual progress are two very different things, and
that only if material progress goes hand in hand with spirituality can any real
progress come about, and the Most Great Peace reign in the world. If men
followed the Holy Counsels and the Teachings of the Prophets, if Divine Light
shone in all hearts and men were really religious, we should soon see peace on
earth and the Kingdom of God among men. The laws of God may be likened unto the
soul and material progress unto the body. If the body was not animated by the soul, it would cease to exist. It is my earnest prayer that
spirituality may ever grow and increase in the world, so that customs may
become enlightened and peace and concord may be established.
War and rapine with their attendant
cruelties are an abomination to God, and bring their own punishment, for the God
of love is also a God of justice and each man must inevitably reap what he
sows. Let us try to understand the commands of the Most High and to order our
lives as He directs. True happiness depends on spiritual good and having the
heart ever open to receive the Divine Bounty.
If the heart turns away from the
blessings God offers how can it hope for happiness? If
it does not put its hope and trust in God’s Mercy, where can it find rest? Oh,
trust in God! for His Bounty is everlasting, and in
His Blessings, for they are superb. Oh! put your faith
in the Almighty, for He faileth not and His goodness endureth for ever! His Sun giveth Light continually, and the Clouds of His Mercy are full of the Waters of
Compassion with which He waters the hearts of all who trust in Him. His
refreshing Breeze ever carries healing in its wings to the parched souls of
men! Is it wise to turn away from such a loving Father, Who showers His
blessings upon us, and to choose rather to be slaves of matter?
[18] This is from a passage by Bahá’u’lláh in which He wrote on the theme of changes coming in history along with His Revelation. He suggests that people should embrace those changes or conditions that improve their spiritual life. Shoghi Effendi translated this and put it in Gleanings and then quoted it in several of his books.
This is the Day in which God’s most
excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most
mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon
all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect
unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and
loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to
whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations,
and to the promotion of their best interests. Happy are those whom the
all-glorious Pen was moved to remember, and blessed are those men whose names,
by virtue of Our inscrutable decree, We have preferred
to conceal.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant
that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfill that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a
new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.
[19] This comes from a description made by Thomas Pole of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s weekend in Bristol, England (September 23-25th of 1911). On the first afternoon, while
driving, he expressed much interest in rural England, marvelling at the century-old trees, and the vivid green of the woods and downs, so unlike
the arid East. “Though it is autumn it seems like spring,” he said. The houses
with their little plots of ground, suggested a quotation which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave from Bahá’u’lláh’s writings in which the latter alludes to each family having a house with a piece
of land. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá likened the country to the soul
and the city to the body of man, saying, “The body without the soul cannot
live. It is good,” he remarked, “to live under the sky, in the sunshine and
fresh air.” Observing a young woman who rode by on horseback with her hair
flying free and several who bicycled past on their bicycles unattended, he
said, “This is the age of woman. She should receive the same education as her
brother and enjoy the same privilege; for all souls
are equal before God. Sex, in its relation to the exigencies of the physical
plane, has no connection with the Spirit. In this age of spiritual awakening,
the world has entered upon the path of progress into the arena of development,
where the power of the spirit surpasses that of the body. Soon the spirit will
have dominion over the world of humanity.”
[20] This is from a letter written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá you can find in the compilation on Crisis and Victory put together by the Research Department at the Bahá'í World Center. The passage opens with this prediction, and goes on to encourage whoever received the letter to be on their best behavior in spite of oppression: 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.
[21] This comes from a translation of notes taken from the conclusion of the talk ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave on November 21, 1911. It continues where the quotation in note 17 leaves off: God in His infinite goodness has
exalted us to so much honour, and has made us masters
over the material world. Shall we then become her slaves? Nay, rather let us
claim our birthright, and strive to live the life of the spiritual sons of God.
The glorious Sun of Truth has once again risen in the East. From the far
horizon of Persia its radiance is spreading far and wide, dispersing the dense
clouds of superstition. The light of the unity of mankind is beginning to
illumine the world, and soon the banner of Divine harmony and the solidarity of
nations will be flying high in the Heavens. Yea, the breezes of the Holy Spirit
will inspire the whole world!
Oh, peoples and nations! Arise and
work and be happy! Gather together under the tent of the unity of mankind!
[22] I think it likely that this is from a letter from the Báb to Tahirih, the poet and advocate for women’s rights. O THOU who art the chosen one among
women!
He is God; glorified is the splendour of His light. The verses in this Tablet are
revealed for the one who hath believed in the signs of her Lord and is reckoned
among such as are wholly devoted unto Him. Bear thou
witness that verily no God is there but Him, Who is both my Lord and thine, and that no other God besides Him existeth. He is the Bountiful, the Almighty.
Yield thee thanks unto God, for He hath graciously aided thee in this Day, revealed for thee the clear verses of this Tablet, and hath numbered thee among such women as have believed in the signs of God, have taken Him as their guardian and are of the grateful. Verily God shall soon reward thee and those who have believed in His signs with an excellent reward from His presence. Assuredly no God is there other than Him, the All-Possessing, the Most Generous. The revelations of His bounty pervade all created things; He is the Merciful, the Compassionate.
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