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“Recite ye the verses of God every morn and eventide.” (Bahá’u’lláh, ‘The Kitáb-i-Aqdas’)
December 31
The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is
bereft of all things. Turn ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else
but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. I cheer the faint
and revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the
royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every
broken bird and start it on its flight. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s
Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
December 30
Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of
Thee in Thy days, and divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to
drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from
the Paradise (Ridván) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was
established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my
heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made firm. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
December 29
We cherish the hope that through the earnest endeavours of
such as are the exponents of the power of God—exalted be His glory—the weapons
of war throughout the world may be converted into instruments of reconstruction
and that strife and conflict may be removed from the midst of men. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 28
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. (The Báb, Extracts from
an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the
Báb)
December 27
Glory is due unto God, the Discoverer, who, through one shower of the ocean of His Generosity, expanded the firmament of existence, begemmed it with the stars of knowledge and summoned the people to the most high court of perception and understanding!
This shower, which is the Primal Word of the Almighty, is sometimes called the Water of Life, for it quickens the dead souls in the desert of ignorance with the spring of intelligence. Sometimes it is called the First Emanation which appears from the Sun of Wisdom, and when it began to shine the first movement became manifest and known; then phenomena stepped into the arena of existence and these appearances were through the generosity of the incomparable, the Wise One. He is the Knower, the Giver! He is sanctified and holy above every statement and attribute! The seen and the unseen fail to attain the measure of His understanding. The world of being and whatever has issued from it bears witness to this utterance.
Therefore, it has become known that the First Bestowal of the Almighty is the Word. The receiver and acceptor of it is the understanding. It is the First Instructor in the University of Existence and it is the Primal Emanation of God. Whatever has appeared is through the reflection of its Light and whatever is manifested is the appearance of its Wisdom. All the names originate in His Name and the beginnings and endings of all affairs are in His Hand. (Baha’u’llah, Star of the West, vol. 1, no. 1, March 21, 1910)
This shower, which is the Primal Word of the Almighty, is sometimes called the Water of Life, for it quickens the dead souls in the desert of ignorance with the spring of intelligence. Sometimes it is called the First Emanation which appears from the Sun of Wisdom, and when it began to shine the first movement became manifest and known; then phenomena stepped into the arena of existence and these appearances were through the generosity of the incomparable, the Wise One. He is the Knower, the Giver! He is sanctified and holy above every statement and attribute! The seen and the unseen fail to attain the measure of His understanding. The world of being and whatever has issued from it bears witness to this utterance.
Therefore, it has become known that the First Bestowal of the Almighty is the Word. The receiver and acceptor of it is the understanding. It is the First Instructor in the University of Existence and it is the Primal Emanation of God. Whatever has appeared is through the reflection of its Light and whatever is manifested is the appearance of its Wisdom. All the names originate in His Name and the beginnings and endings of all affairs are in His Hand. (Baha’u’llah, Star of the West, vol. 1, no. 1, March 21, 1910)
December 26
It is binding and incumbent upon the peoples of the world,
one and all, to extend aid unto this momentous Cause which is come from the
heaven of the Will of the ever-abiding God, that perchance the fire of
animosity which blazeth in the hearts of some of the peoples of the earth may,
through the living waters of divine wisdom and by virtue of heavenly counsels
and exhortations, be quenched, and the light of unity and concord may shine
forth and shed its radiance upon the world. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah
revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 25
Great is the blessedness of that divine that hath not
allowed knowledge to become a veil between him and the One Who is the Object of
all knowledge, and who, when the Self-Subsisting appeared, hath turned with a
beaming face towards Him. He, in truth, is numbered with the learned. The
inmates of Paradise seek the blessing of his breath, and his lamp sheddeth its
radiance over all who are in heaven and on earth. He, verily, is numbered with
the inheritors of the Prophets. He that beholdeth him hath, verily, beheld the
True One, and he that turneth towards him hath, verily, turned towards God, the
Almighty, the All-Wise. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised
Day Is Come’)
December 24
Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to
God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself,
however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences,
as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The
deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any
mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the
influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the
quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive and
resplendent Spirit. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the
splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered
from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him the unchaste and
wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the
blind were opened and the soul of the sinner sanctified.... He it is Who
purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light,
hath turned towards Him. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The
Promised Day Is Come’)
December 23
These are the melodies, sung by Jesus, Son of Mary, in
accents of majestic power in the Ridván of the Gospel, revealing those signs
that must needs herald the advent of the Manifestation after Him. In the first
Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: And when they asked Jesus
concerning the signs of His coming, He said unto them: “Immediately after the
oppression [The Greek word used (Thlipsis) has two meanings: pressure and
oppression] of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not
give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
earth shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of
the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and
they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet.” [Matthew
24:29–31] (Baha’u’llah, ‘Kitab-i-Iqan’)
December 22
Wert thou to incline thine inner ear unto all created
things, thou wouldst hear: ‘The Ancient of Days is come in His great glory!’
Everything celebrateth the praise of its Lord. Some have known God and remember
Him; others remember Him, yet know Him not. Thus have We set down Our decree in
a perspicuous Tablet. (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet addressed to Napoleon III,
‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
December 21
O Living Temple!
Arise by the power of Thy Self in such wise that all created things will
be moved to arise with Thee. Aid, then,
Thy Lord through such ascendancy and might as We have bestowed upon Thee. Take heed lest Thou falter on that Day when
all created things are filled with dismay; rather be Thou the revealer of My
name, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Assist Thy Lord to the utmost of Thine ability, and pay no heed to the
peoples of the world, for that which their mouths utter is like unto the
droning of a gnat in an endless valley.
Quaff the water of life in My name, the All-Merciful, and proffer unto
the near ones amongst the inmates of this lofty station that which shall cause
them to become detached from all names and enter beneath this blessed and
all-encompassing shadow. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord
of Hosts’)
December 20
In every country where any of this people reside, they must
behave towards the government of that country with loyalty, honesty and
truthfulness. This is that which hath been revealed at the behest of Him Who is
the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah
revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 19
If the wayfarer’s goal be the dwelling of the Praiseworthy
One (Mahmúd), [An
attribute of God and one of the titles of Muhammad] this is the station
of primal reason which is known as the Prophet and the Most Great Pillar. [Maqám-i-Mahmúd—Praiseworthy
Station—is the rank of Prophets endowed with constancy] Here reason
signifieth the divine, universal mind, whose sovereignty enlighteneth all
created things … (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys’)
December 18
O people! Words must be supported by deeds, for deeds are the true test of words. Without the former, the latter can never quench the thirst of the yearning soul, nor unlock the portals of vision before the eyes of the blind. The Lord of celestial wisdom saith: A harsh word is even as a sword thrust; a gentle word as milk. The latter leadeth the children of men unto knowledge and conferreth upon them true distinction. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
December 17
Verily, the breezes of forgiveness have been wafted from the
direction of your Lord, the God of Mercy; whoso turneth thereunto, shall be
cleansed of his sins, and of all pain and sickness. Happy
the man that hath turned towards them, and woe betide him that hath turned
aside. (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet addressed to Napoleon III, ‘Epistle to the
Son of the Wolf’)
December 16
O people of the Bayán! Would ye deny Him Whose presence is the very object of your creation,
while ye rejoice idly upon your couches? Would ye laugh to scorn and contend with Him, a single hair of Whose
head excelleth, in the sight of God, all that are in the heavens and all that
are on the earth? O people of the Bayán! Produce, then, that which ye possess, that I
may know by what proof ye believed aforetime in the Manifestations of His
Cause, and by what reason ye now wax so disdainful!
I swear by Him Who hath fashioned Me from the light of His own Beauty! None have I ever seen that surpasseth you in heedlessness or exceedeth you in ignorance. Ye seek to prove your faith in God through such holy Tablets as ye possess, yet when the verses of God were revealed and His Lamp was lighted, ye disbelieved in Him Whose very Pen hath fixed the destinies of all things in the Preserved Tablet. Ye recite the sacred verses and yet repudiate Him Who is their Source and Revealer. Thus hath God blinded your eyes in requital for your deeds, would ye but understand. Day and night ye transcribe the verses of God, and yet ye remain shut out, as by a veil, from Him Who hath revealed them. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
I swear by Him Who hath fashioned Me from the light of His own Beauty! None have I ever seen that surpasseth you in heedlessness or exceedeth you in ignorance. Ye seek to prove your faith in God through such holy Tablets as ye possess, yet when the verses of God were revealed and His Lamp was lighted, ye disbelieved in Him Whose very Pen hath fixed the destinies of all things in the Preserved Tablet. Ye recite the sacred verses and yet repudiate Him Who is their Source and Revealer. Thus hath God blinded your eyes in requital for your deeds, would ye but understand. Day and night ye transcribe the verses of God, and yet ye remain shut out, as by a veil, from Him Who hath revealed them. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
December 15
O the pity! that man should deprive himself of this goodly
gift, this imperishable bounty, this everlasting life. It behooveth him to
prize this food that cometh from heaven, that perchance, through the wondrous
favours of the Sun of Truth, the dead may be brought to life, and withered
souls be quickened by the infinite Spirit. Make haste, O my brother, that while
there is yet time our lips may taste of the immortal draught, for the breeze of
life, now blowing from the city of the Well-Beloved, cannot last, and the
streaming river of holy utterance must needs be stilled, and the portals of the
Ridván cannot for ever remain open. The day will surely
come when the Nightingale of Paradise will have winged its flight away from its
earthly abode unto its heavenly nest. Then will its melody be heard no more,
and the beauty of the rose cease to shine. Seize the time, therefore, ere the
glory of the divine springtime hath spent itself, and the Bird of Eternity
ceased to warble its melody, that thy inner hearing may not be deprived of
hearkening unto its call. This is My counsel unto thee and unto the beloved of
God. Whosoever wisheth, let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn
away. God, verily, is independent of him and of that which he may see and
witness. (Baha’u’llah ‘ Kitab-i-Iqan’)
December 14
O concourse of divines! Fear God from this day onwards in
the views ye advance, for He Who is Our Remembrance in your midst, and Who
cometh from Us, is, in very truth, the Judge and Witness. Turn away from that
which ye lay hold of, and which the Book of God, the True One, hath not
sanctioned, for on the Day of Resurrection ye shall, upon the Bridge, be, in
very truth, held answerable for the position ye occupied.... And unto you We
have sent down this Book which truly none can mistake... (The Báb, from the
Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
December 13
Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord, my God! How can I
make mention of Thee, assured as I am that no tongue, however deep its wisdom,
can befittingly magnify Thy name, nor can the bird of the human heart, however
great its longing, ever hope to ascend into the heaven of Thy majesty and
knowledge.
If I describe Thee, O my God, as Him Who is the All-Perceiving, I find myself compelled to admit that They Who are the highest Embodiments of perception have been created by virtue of Thy behest. And if I extol Thee as Him Who is the All-Wise, I, likewise, am forced to recognize that the Well Springs of wisdom have themselves been generated through the operation of Thy Will. And if I proclaim Thee as the Incomparable One, I soon discover that they Who are the inmost essence of oneness have been sent down by Thee and are but the evidences of Thine handiwork. And if I acclaim Thee as the Knower of all things, I must confess that they Who are the Quintessence of knowledge are but the creation and instruments of Thy Purpose. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
If I describe Thee, O my God, as Him Who is the All-Perceiving, I find myself compelled to admit that They Who are the highest Embodiments of perception have been created by virtue of Thy behest. And if I extol Thee as Him Who is the All-Wise, I, likewise, am forced to recognize that the Well Springs of wisdom have themselves been generated through the operation of Thy Will. And if I proclaim Thee as the Incomparable One, I soon discover that they Who are the inmost essence of oneness have been sent down by Thee and are but the evidences of Thine handiwork. And if I acclaim Thee as the Knower of all things, I must confess that they Who are the Quintessence of knowledge are but the creation and instruments of Thy Purpose. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
December 12
Blessed is He Who doeth as He willeth by a word of His
command. He, verily, is the True One, the Knower of things unseen. Blessed is
He Who inspireth whomsoever He willeth with whatsoever He desireth, through His
irresistible and inscrutable command. Blessed is He Who aideth whomsoever He
desireth with the hosts of the unseen. His might is, in truth, equal to His
purpose, and He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is
He Who exalteth whomsoever He willeth by the power of His sovereign might, and
confirmeth whomsoever He chooseth in accordance with His good pleasure; well is
it with them that understand! (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the
Lord of Hosts’)
December 11
Beseech God to grant unto men hearing ears, and sharp sight,
and dilated breasts, and receptive hearts, that haply His
servants may attain unto their hearts’ Desire, and set their faces towards
their Beloved. Troubles, such as no eye hath beheld, have touched this Wronged
One. In proclaiming His Cause, He, in no wise, hesitated. Addressing Himself
unto the kings and rulers of the earth—may God, exalted be He, assist them—He
imparted unto them that which is the cause of the well-being, the unity, the
harmony, and the reconstruction of the world, and of the tranquillity of the
nations. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
December 10
At a time when darkness had encompassed the world, the ocean
of divine favour surged and His Light was made manifest, that the doings of men
might be laid bare. This, verily, is that Light which hath been foretold in the
heavenly scriptures. Should the Almighty so please, the hearts of all men will
be purged and purified through His goodly utterance, and the light of unity
will shed its radiance upon every soul and revive the whole earth. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other
Writings’)
December 9
…The Valley of Love … In this city the heaven of ecstasy is upraised and
the world-illuming sun of yearning shineth, and the fire of love is ablaze; and
when the fire of love is ablaze, it burneth to ashes the harvest of reason.
Now is the traveler unaware of himself, and of aught besides himself. He seeth neither ignorance nor knowledge, neither doubt nor certitude; he knoweth not the morn of guidance from the night of error. He fleeth both from unbelief and faith, and deadly poison is a balm to him. Wherefore Attár [the great Persian Súfí poet 1150–1230 A.D] saith:
For the infidel, error—for the faithful, faith;
For Attár’s heart, an atom of Thy pain.
The steed of this Valley is pain; and if there be no pain this journey will never end. In this station the lover hath no thought save the Beloved, and seeketh no refuge save the Friend. At every moment he offereth a hundred lives in the path of the Loved One, at every step he throweth a thousand heads at the feet of the Beloved. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven and the Four Valleys’)
Now is the traveler unaware of himself, and of aught besides himself. He seeth neither ignorance nor knowledge, neither doubt nor certitude; he knoweth not the morn of guidance from the night of error. He fleeth both from unbelief and faith, and deadly poison is a balm to him. Wherefore Attár [the great Persian Súfí poet 1150–1230 A.D] saith:
For the infidel, error—for the faithful, faith;
For Attár’s heart, an atom of Thy pain.
The steed of this Valley is pain; and if there be no pain this journey will never end. In this station the lover hath no thought save the Beloved, and seeketh no refuge save the Friend. At every moment he offereth a hundred lives in the path of the Loved One, at every step he throweth a thousand heads at the feet of the Beloved. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven and the Four Valleys’)
December 8
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... (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
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... (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
December 6
O people of the Bayán!
If ye aid Him not, God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of
earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen through His
command “Be”, and it is! The day is approaching
when God will have, by an act of His Will, raised up a race of men the nature
of which is inscrutable to all save God, the All-Powerful, the
Self-Subsisting. He shall purify them
from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires, shall lift them up to
the heights of holiness, and shall cause them to manifest the signs of His
sovereignty and might upon earth. Thus
hath it been ordained by God, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving. (Baha’u’llah,
Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
December 5
Every eye, in this Day, should seek what will best promote the Cause of God. He, Who is the Eternal Truth,
beareth Me witness! Nothing whatever can, in this Day, inflict a greater harm
upon this Cause than dissension and strife, contention, estrangement and
apathy, among the loved ones of God. Flee them, through the power of God and
His sovereign aid, and strive ye to knit together the hearts of men, in His
Name, the Unifier, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
December 4
O children of understanding! If the eyelid, however
delicate, can deprive man’s outer eye from beholding the world and all that is
therein, consider then what would be wrought if the veil of covetousness were
to descend upon his inner eye. Say: O people! The darkness of greed and envy
becloudeth the radiance of the soul even as the clouds obstruct the light of
the sun. Should anyone hearken unto this utterance with a discerning ear, he
will unfurl the wings of detachment and soar effortlessly in the atmosphere of
true understanding. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s
Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
December 3
By the righteousness of God! Idle fancies have debarred men
from the Horizon of Certitude, and vain imaginings withheld them from the
Choice Sealed Wine. In truth I say, and for the sake of God I declare: This
Servant, this Wronged One, is abashed to claim for Himself any existence
whatever, how much more those exalted grades of being! Every man of
discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as
he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his
wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by
God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There can be
no doubt that whoever is cognizant of this truth, is cleansed and sanctified
from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory. Whatever hath been said hath come
from God. Unto this, He, verily, hath borne, and beareth now, witness, and He,
in truth, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the
Son of the Wolf’)
December 2
By the righteousness of Him Who hath called thee into being
and unto Whom ere long thou shalt return, if thou remainest, at the moment of
death, a disbeliever in the signs of thy Lord thou shalt surely enter the gates
of hell, and none of the deeds thy hands have wrought will profit thee, nor
shalt thou find a patron nor anyone to plead for thee. Fear thou God and pride
not thyself on thine earthly possessions, inasmuch as what God doth possess is
better for them that tread the path of righteousness.
Verily in this Day all that dwell on earth are the servants of God. As to those who truly believe in God and are well assured in the signs revealed by Him, perchance He will graciously forgive them the things their hands have committed, and will grant them admission into the precincts of His mercy. He, in truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate. But the verdict of divine chastisement is pronounced against those who have turned away disdainfully from Me and have repudiated the conclusive proofs and the unerring Book with which God hath invested Me, and on the Day of Severing they shall find no protector or helper. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
Verily in this Day all that dwell on earth are the servants of God. As to those who truly believe in God and are well assured in the signs revealed by Him, perchance He will graciously forgive them the things their hands have committed, and will grant them admission into the precincts of His mercy. He, in truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate. But the verdict of divine chastisement is pronounced against those who have turned away disdainfully from Me and have repudiated the conclusive proofs and the unerring Book with which God hath invested Me, and on the Day of Severing they shall find no protector or helper. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
December 1
We ask for neither meed nor reward. “We nourish your souls
for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks.” [Qur’án
76:9] This is the food that conferreth everlasting life
upon the pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which
it is said: “Lord, send down upon us Thy bread from heaven.” [Qur’án 5:117]
This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever
be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at
all seasons from the heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: “Seest
thou not to what God likeneth a good word? To a good tree; its root firmly
fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all seasons.”[
Qur’án 14:24] (Baha'u'llah, 'Kitab-i-Iqan')
November 30
O King! Wert thou to incline thine ears unto the shrill
voice of the Pen of Glory and the cooing of the Dove of Eternity, which on the
branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, uttereth praises to
God, the Maker of all Names and the Creator of earth and heaven, thou wouldst
attain unto a station from which thou wouldst behold in the world of being
naught save the effulgence of the Adored One, and wouldst regard thy
sovereignty as the most contemptible of thy possessions, abandoning it to
whosoever might desire it, and setting thy face toward the Horizon aglow with
the light of His countenance. Neither wouldst thou ever be willing to bear the
burden of dominion save for the purpose of helping thy
Lord, the Exalted, the Most High. Then would the Concourse on high bless thee.
O how excellent is this most sublime station, couldst thou ascend thereunto
through the power of a sovereignty recognized as derived from the Name of God!
(Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet addressed to Nasiri’d-Din Shah, the King of Persia,
quoted in ‘The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
November 29
Be fair to yourselves and to others that the evidences of
justice may be revealed through your deeds among Our faithful servants. (Baha’u’llah,
quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
November 28
In this mountain I have remained alone, and have come to such a pass that none of those gone before Me have suffered what I have suffered, nor any transgressor endured what I have endured! I render praise unto God and yet again praise Him. I find Myself free from sorrow, inasmuch as I abide within the good-pleasure of My Lord and Master. Methinks I am in the all-highest Paradise, rejoicing at My communion with God, the Most Great. Verily this is a bounty which God hath conferred upon Me; and He is the Lord of unbounded blessings.
I swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one who would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be carried into effect. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
I swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one who would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be carried into effect. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
November 27
While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a
most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden—the embodiment of the remembrance of
the name of My Lord—suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her
countenance shone with the ornament of the good pleasure of God, and her cheeks
glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the
hearts and minds of men. She was
imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and
the souls of God’s honoured servants.
Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. his is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. his is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
November 26
November 25
..."Say: O people of God! Beware lest the powers of the
earth alarm you, or the might of the nations weaken you, or the tumult of the
people of discord deter you, or the exponents of earthly glory sadden you. Be
ye as a mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the
Unconstrained." "Say: Beware, O people of Baha, lest the strong ones
of the earth rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you with
fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping. He,
verily, will, through the power of truth, render you victorious, and He,
verily, is powerful to do what He willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of
omnipotent might." (Baha’u’llah, cited in Shoghi Effendi ‘The Advent of
Divine Justice’ The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, Crisis and Victory)
November 24
O SON OF MAN! Bestow My wealth upon My poor, that in heaven
thou mayest draw from stores of unfading splendor and treasures of imperishable
glory. But by My life! To offer up thy soul is a more glorious thing couldst
thou but see with Mine eye. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words, no. 57 Arabic) (Please
see ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s explanation at 'Daily Spiritual Food for Thought’)
November 23
Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away and
come again unto you.” Consider the sun. Were it to say now, “I am the sun of
yesterday,” it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of
time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth.
In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is
correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and
designations, that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the
same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific
attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly the distinction,
variation, and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness,
that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the creator of all names and
attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer
to thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should
have, at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
November 22
It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world
associate with one another with joy and radiance. O people! Consort with the
followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Thus
hath the day-star of His sanction and authority shone forth above the horizon
of the decree of God, the Lord of the worlds. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah
revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
November 21
Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who
comprehend. Glorified is He Who speaketh
forth from the Kingdom of His Revelation, and Who remaineth unknown to all save
His honoured servants. Glorified is He
Who quickeneth whomsoever He willeth by virtue of His word “Be”, and it
is! Glorified is He Who causeth
whomsoever He willeth to ascend unto the heaven of grace, and sendeth down
therefrom whatsoever He desireth according to a prescribed measure. (Baha’u’llah,
Súrih of the Temple, ‘The Summons of
the Lord of Hosts’)
November 20
By Him Who shineth above the Dayspring of sanctity! If the
whole earth were to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can be said
to have truly ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude would deign to
regard it, much less to seize and keep it.... (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi
Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
November 19
And likewise, He saith: "Say to them that are of a
fearful heart: be strong, fear not, behold your God."[Isaiah 35:4] This
blessed verse is a proof of the greatness of the Revelation, and of the
greatness of the Cause, inasmuch as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread
confusion throughout the world, and fear and trembling amongst all men. Well is
it with him who hath been illumined with the light of trust and detachment. The
tribulations of that Day will not hinder or alarm him. Thus hath the Tongue of
Utterance spoken, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the
Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.... (Baha’u’llah,
‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I,
Crisis and Victory)
November 18
Even though outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome,
yet inwardly it is bounty and tranquillity. Purification and training are
conditioned and dependent only on such rigorous exercises as are in accord with
the Book of God and sanctioned by Divine law, not those which the deluded have
inflicted upon the people. Whatsoever God hath revealed is beloved of the soul.
We beseech Him that He may graciously assist us to do that which is pleasing
and acceptable unto Him. (Baha’u’llah, compilation ‘The Importance of
Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, prepared by the Research Department of the
Universal House of Justice)
November 17
Even as He hath said: "Man is My mystery, and I am his
mystery." Manifold are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed in
all the Heavenly Books and the Holy Scriptures, expressive of this most subtle
and lofty theme. Even as He hath revealed: "We will surely show them Our
signs in the world and within themselves." Again He saith: "And also
in your own selves: will ye not, then, behold the signs of God?" And yet
again He revealeth: And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath
therefore caused to forget their own selves." In this connection, He Who
is the eternal King -- may the souls of all that dwell within the mystic
Tabernacle be a sacrifice unto Him -- hath spoken: "He hath known God who hath
known himself." (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’;
compilation’ Psychology and Knowledge of Self’, prepared by the Research
Department of the Universal House of Justice)
November 16
The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God, and the
end of all things is strict observance of whatsoever hath been sent down from
the empyrean of the Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in the heavens and
all that is on the earth. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah)
November 15
Glorified is He Who hath revealed His verses to those who understand. Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who perceive. Glorified is He Who guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His path. Say: I, verily, am the Path of God unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth; well is it with them that hasten thereunto! (Baha’u’llah, ‘Súriy-i-Haykal’, Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
November 14
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and
manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish
limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He the
Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto
His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto
them: “I go away and come again unto you.” And in another place He said: “I go
and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will
fulfil all that I have said.” Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you
to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
November 13
.... We desire but the good of the world and happiness of
the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of
bondage and banishment.... That all nations should become one in faith and all
men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men
should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and
differences of race be annulled -- what harm is there in this?... Yet so it
shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the
"Most Great Peace" shall come.... (Words of Baha’u’llah, spoken to E.
G. Browne, from his pen portrait of Bahá'u'lláh, J. E. Esslemont, ‘Bahá'u'lláh
and the New Era’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Peace)
November 12
It is not permissible to ask questions from Him Whom God
will make manifest, except that which well beseemeth Him. For His station is
that of the Essence of divine Revelation... Whatever evidence of bounty is
witnessed in the world, is but an image of His bounty; and every thing owes its
existence to His Being... The Bayán is, from beginning to end, the repository
of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His light.
Should anyone desire to ask questions, he is allowed to do so only in writing,
that he may derive ample understanding from His written reply and that it may
serve as a sign from his Beloved. However, let no one ask aught that may prove
unworthy of His lofty station. For instance, were a person to inquire the price
of straw from a merchant of rubies, how ignorant would he be and how
unacceptable. Similarly unacceptable would be the questions of the
highest-ranking people of the world in His presence, except such words as He
Himself would utter about Himself in the Day of His manifestation. (The Báb, ‘Selections
from the Writings of the Báb)
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