Cleave thou to the fear of God and to whatsoever hath been
revealed in His Book: thus biddeth thee He Who is the Word of Truth and the
Knower of things unseen. Say: trustworthiness is the sun of the heaven of My
commandments, truthfulness is its moon, and praiseworthy attributes are its
stars. Yet the people, for the most part, understand not. (Baha’u’llah, The
Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
December 30
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! … I beseech Thee, by
Thine own Self and by Him Whom Thou hast appointed as the Manifestation of
Thine own Being and Thy discriminating Word unto all that are in heaven and on
earth, to gather together Thy servants beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy
gracious providence. Help them, then, to partake of its fruits, to incline
their ears to the rustling of its leaves, and to the sweetness of the voice of
the Bird that chanteth upon its branches. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and
Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
December 29
We have counselled all people, in the most clear and
eloquent language, to adorn their characters with trustworthiness and
godliness, and with such qualities as are conducive to the elevation of man's
station in the world of being. This Wronged One testifieth that the purpose for
which mortal men have, from utter nothingness, stepped into the realm of being,
is that they may work for the betterment of the world and live together in
concord and harmony. Dissension and strife have always been, and shall remain,
rejected by God. The Books, the Scriptures and Holy Writings of previous ages
have all proclaimed the joyful tidings that the purpose underlying this most
mighty Revelation is none other than the rehabilitation of the world and its
nations; that perchance the power of utterance may prevail over the power of
arms, and the world's affairs be administered through the potency of love. We
ask God, the True One, to invest all with the mantle of trustworthiness, for
that is the world's comeliest garment. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of
Compilations, Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
December 28
It should… be noted that in one sense the stations of the
Prophets of God differ one from another. For instance, consider Moses. He
brought forth a Book and established ordinances, whilst a number of the
Prophets and Messengers who arose after Him were charged with the promulgation
of His laws, insofar as they remained consonant with the needs of the age. The
books and chronicles annexed to the Torah bear eloquent testimony to this truth.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib
and Other Writings’)
December 27
Glorified be God! The Pen is perplexed what to write and the
Tongue wondereth what to utter. Despite unprecedented hardships and after
enduring years of imprisonment, captivity and woeful trials, We now perceive
that veils thicker than the ones We have already torn asunder have intervened,
obstructing the vision and causing the light of understanding to be obscured.
Moreover We observe that the fresh calumnies which are now rife are far more
malicious than those of former days. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah
revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 26
Beware lest ye speak of duality in regard to My Self, for
all the atoms of the earth proclaim that there is none other God but Him, the
One, the Single, the Mighty, the Loving.
From the beginning that hath no beginning I have proclaimed, from the
realm of eternity, that I am God, none other God is there save Me, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting; and unto the end that hath no end I shall proclaim,
amidst the kingdom of names, that I am God, none other God is there beside Me,
the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved.
Say: Lordship is My Name, whereof
I have created manifestations in the world of being, while We Ourself remain
sanctified above them, would ye but ponder this truth. And Godhead is My Name, whereof We have
created exponents whose power shall encompass the people of the earth and make
them true worshippers of God, could ye but recognize it. Thus should ye regard all Our Names, if ye be
endued with insight. (Baha'u'llah, Suriy-i-Haykal, The Summons of the Lord of
Hosts)
December 25
O SON OF SPIRIT! The bird seeketh its nest; the nightingale
the charm of the rose; whilst those birds, the hearts of men, content with
transient dust, have strayed far from their eternal nest, and with eyes turned
towards the slough of heedlessness are bereft of the glory of the divine
presence. Alas! How strange and pitiful; for a mere cupful, they have turned
away from the billowing seas of the Most High, and remained far from the most
effulgent horizon. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
December 24
And further We have said: “He Who is the Father is come, and
the Son (Jesus Christ), in the holy vale, crieth out: ‘Here am I, here am I, O
Lord, my God!’, whilst Sinai circleth round the House, and the Burning Bush
calleth aloud: ‘The All-Bounteous is come mounted upon the clouds! Blessed is
he that draweth nigh unto Him, and woe betide them that are far away.’ (Baha’u’llah,
‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
December 23
Previously We wrote to thee[Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin] that had the
friends there observed the payment of Huququ'lláh, the people of that region
would have enjoyed ease and comfort. Before this law was revealed there was no
obligation on the part of any soul. The Pen of Glory held back from revealing
laws and ordinances for a number of years, and this was a token of His heavenly
grace. Were the people of the world to recognize what inestimable benefits the
ordinances of the All-Merciful would bring forth, they would arise to fulfil
His commandments and would observe His bidding ... (Baha’u’llah, The
Compilation of Compilation, vol. I, Huqúqu'lláh)
December 22
O Lord! Assist those who have renounced
all else but Thee, and grant them a mighty victory. Send down upon them, O
Lord, the concourse of the angels in heaven and earth and all that is between,
to aid Thy servants, to succour and strengthen them, to enable them to achieve
success, to sustain them, to invest them with glory, to confer upon them honour
and exaltation, to enrich them and to make them triumphant with a wondrous
triumph. (The Báb, ‘Selections from
the Writings of the Báb’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol.
II, The Power of Divine Assistance)
December 21
When Moses came unto Pharaoh and delivered unto him, as
bidden by God, the divine Message, Pharaoh spoke insultingly saying: “Art thou
not he that committed murder, and became an infidel?” Thus recounted the Lord
of majesty as having been said by Pharaoh unto Moses: “What a deed is that
which Thou hast done! Thou art one of the ungrateful. He said: ‘I did it
indeed, and I was one of those who erred. And I fled from you when I feared
you, but My Lord hath given Me wisdom, and hath made Me one of His Apostles.’” [Qur’án
26:19]
And now ponder in thy heart the commotion which God stirreth
up. Reflect upon the strange and manifold trials with which He doth test His
servants. Consider how He hath suddenly chosen from among His servants, and entrusted
with the exalted mission of divine guidance Him Who was known as guilty of
homicide, Who, Himself, had acknowledged His cruelty, and Who for well-nigh
thirty years had, in the eyes of the world, been reared in the home of Pharaoh
and been nourished at his table. Was not God, the omnipotent King, able to
withhold the hand of Moses from murder, so that manslaughter should not be
attributed unto Him, causing bewilderment and aversion among the people? (Baha’u’llah,
The Kitáb-i-Iqán)
December 20
Say: Naught is seen
in My temple but the Temple of God, and in My beauty but His Beauty, and in My
being but His Being, and in My self but His Self, and in My movement but His
Movement, and in My acquiescence but His Acquiescence, and in My pen but His
Pen, the Mighty, the All-Praised. There
hath not been in My soul but the Truth, and in Myself naught could be seen but
God. (Baha'u'llah, Suriy-i-Haykal, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
December 19
O ye peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of God, the
True One, the testimony shown forth by His Remembrance is like unto a sun which
the hand of the merciful Lord hath raised high in the midmost heart of the
heaven, wherefrom it shineth in the plenitude of its meridian splendour...
With each and every Prophet Whom We have sent down in the
past, We have established a separate Covenant concerning the Remembrance of God
and His Day. Manifest, in the realm of glory and through the power of truth,
are the Remembrance of God and His Day before the eyes of the angels that
circle His mercy-seat. (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections
from the Writings of the Báb)
December 18
It hath been laid down in the Bayán that marriage is
dependent upon the consent of both parties. Desiring to establish love, unity
and harmony amidst Our servants, We have conditioned it, once the couple’s wish
is known, upon the permission of their parents, lest enmity and rancour should
arise amongst them. And in this We have yet other purposes. Thus hath Our
commandment been ordained. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 17
Blessed are they that have soared on the wings of detachment
and attained the station which, as ordained by God, overshadoweth the entire
creation, whom neither the vain imaginations of the learned, nor the multitude
of the hosts of the earth have succeeded in deflecting from His Cause. Who is
there among you, O people, who will renounce the world, and draw nigh unto God,
the Lord of all names? Where is he to be found who, through the power of My
name that transcendeth all created things, will cast away the things that men
possess, and cling, with all his might, to the things which God, the Knower of
the unseen and of the seen, hath bidden him observe? Thus hath His bounty been
sent down unto men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone forth above
the Horizon of mercy. Rich is the prize that shall be won by him who hath
believed and exclaimed: “Lauded art Thou, O Beloved of all worlds! Magnified be
Thy name, O Thou the Desire of every understanding heart!” (Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings form the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
December 16
The Best-Beloved is come. In His right hand is the sealed
Wine of His name. Happy is the man that turneth unto Him, and drinketh his
fill, and exclaimeth: “Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the signs of God!” By
the righteousness of the Almighty! Every hidden thing hath been manifested
through the power of truth. All the favors of God have been sent down, as a
token of His grace. The waters of everlasting life have, in their fullness,
been proffered unto men. Every single cup hath been borne round by the hand of
the Well-Beloved. Draw near, and tarry not, though it be for one short moment. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings form the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
December 15
O SON OF MAN! Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us.
Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
December 14
And when this stage of the journey [“the City of Love”] is completed and the wayfarer hath soared beyond this lofty station, he entereth
the City of Divine Unity, and the garden of oneness, and the court of
detachment. In this plane the seeker casteth away all signs, allusions, veils,
and words, and beholdeth all things with an eye illumined by the effulgent
lights which God Himself hath shed upon him. In his journey he seeth all
differences return to a single word and all allusions culminate in a single
point. Unto this beareth witness he who sailed upon the ark of fire and
followed the inmost path to the pinnacle of glory in the realm of immortality:
“Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied.” [From a Hadíth]
This is the station that hath been alluded to in the tradition: “I am He,
Himself, and He is I, Myself, except that I am that I am, and He is that He
is.” [From a Hadíth] (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’,
‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
December 13
We ask God graciously to grant that all may evince such
fairness of character, such goodliness of deed and kindliness of word as will
meet with His good pleasure. It hath been decreed that the citadels of men's
hearts should be subdued through the hosts of a noble character and
praiseworthy deeds. Contention, discord, strife and sedition have all been
forbidden in the Book of God. Beseech the Lord that He deprive not His
dominions of the effulgent light of the sun of trustworthiness, nor deny them
the radiance of the Day-Star of truthfulness or the splendour of the orb of
justice and equity. Trustworthiness and piety are even as two luminaries
shining resplendent above the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet in which are
inscribed the ordinances of God. Well is it with them that have discerned them,
and woe betide the heedless (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations,
Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
December 12
By the righteousness of God! Justice is a powerful force. It
is, above all else, the conqueror of the citadels of the hearts and souls of
men, and the revealer of the secrets of the world of being, and the
standard-bearer of love and bounty. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the
Wolf’)
December 11
Say: O friends! Drink your fill from
this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him Who is the
Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of
men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth
hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from
the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Social and
Economic Development)
December 10
O Kamál! The heights which, through the most gracious favour
of God, mortal man can attain, in this Day, are as yet unrevealed to his sight.
The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet possess the capacity for
such a revelation ... (Bahá'u'lláh,
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh; The Compilation of Compilations,
vol. III, Social and Economic Development)
December 9
God assuredly dominateth the lives of them that wronged Us,
and is well aware of their doings. He will most certainly lay hold on them for
their sins. He, verily, is the fiercest of Avengers. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by
Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised Day Is Come’)
December 8
…consider Moses, son of ‘Imrán, one of the exalted Prophets
and Author of a divinely-revealed Book. Whilst passing, one day, through the
market, in His early days, ere His ministry was
proclaimed, He saw two men engaged in fighting. One of them asked the help of
Moses against his opponent. Whereupon, Moses intervened and slew him. To this
testifieth the record of the sacred Book. Should the details be cited, they
will lengthen and interrupt the course of the argument. The report of this
incident spread throughout the city, and Moses was full of fear, as is
witnessed by the text of the Book. And when the warning: “O Moses! of a truth,
the chiefs take counsel to slay Thee” [Qur’án 28:20] reached His ears, He went
forth from the city, and sojourned in Midian in the service of Shoeb. While
returning, Moses entered the holy vale, situate in the wilderness of Sinai, and
there beheld the vision of the King of glory from the “Tree that belongeth
neither to the East nor to the West.” [Qur’án 24:35] There He heard the
soul-stirring Voice of the Spirit speaking from out of the kindled Fire,
bidding Him to shed upon Pharaonic souls the light of divine guidance; so that,
liberating them from the shadows of the valley of self and desire, He might
enable them to attain the meads of heavenly delight, and delivering them,
through the Salsabíl of renunciation, from the bewilderment of remoteness,
cause them to enter the peaceful city of the divine presence. (Baha’u’llah, The
Kitab-i-Iqán)
December 7
Concerning this Wronged One, most of the things reported in
the newspapers are devoid of truth. Fair speech and truthfulness, by reason of
their lofty rank and position, are regarded as a sun shining above the horizon
of knowledge. The waves rising from this Ocean are apparent before the eyes of
the peoples of the world and the effusions of the Pen of wisdom and utterance
are manifest everywhere.
It is reported in the press that this Servant hath fled from
the land of Tá (Tihrán) and gone to ‘Iráq. Gracious God! Not even for a single
moment hath this Wronged One ever concealed Himself. Rather hath He at all
times remained steadfast and conspicuous before the eyes of all men. Never have
We retreated, nor shall We ever seek flight. In truth it is the foolish people
who flee from Our presence. We left Our home country accompanied by two mounted
escorts, representing the two honoured governments of Persia and Russia until
We arrived in ‘Iráq in the plenitude of glory and power. Praise be to God! The
Cause whereof this Wronged One is the Bearer standeth as high as heaven and
shineth resplendent as the sun. Concealment hath no access unto this station,
nor is there any occasion for fear or silence. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of
Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 6
O people of the world! Follow not the promptings of the
self, for it summoneth insistently to wickedness and lust; follow, rather, Him
Who is the Possessor of all created things, Who biddeth you to show forth
piety, and manifest the fear of God. He, verily, is independent of all His creatures. Take heed not to stir up mischief in
the land after it hath been set in order. Whoso acteth in this way is not of
Us, and We are quit of him. Such is the command which hath, through the power
of truth, been made manifest from the heaven of Revelation. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The
Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 5
In these days truthfulness and sincerity are sorely
afflicted in the clutches of falsehood, and justice is tormented by the scourge
of injustice. The smoke of corruption hath enveloped the whole world in such
wise that naught can be seen in any direction save regiments of soldiers and
nothing is heard from any land but the clashing of swords. We beseech God, the
True One, to strengthen the wielders of His power in that which will
rehabilitate the world and bring tranquillity to the nations. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
December 4
We have fixed a time for you, O people! If ye fail, at the
appointed hour, to turn towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you,
and will cause grievous afflictions to assail you from every direction. How
severe indeed is the chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!
(Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised Day Is Come’)
December 3
In the treasuries of the knowledge of God there lieth
concealed a knowledge which, when applied, will largely, though not wholly,
eliminate fear. This knowledge, however, should be taught from childhood, as it
will greatly aid in its elimination. Whatever decreaseth fear increaseth
courage. Should the Will of God assist Us, there would flow out from the Pen of
the Divine Expounder a lengthy exposition of that which hath been mentioned,
and there would be revealed, in the field of arts and sciences, what would
renew the world and the nations. A word hath, likewise, been written down and
recorded by the Pen of the Most High in the Crimson Book which is capable of
fully disclosing that force which is hid in men, nay of redoubling its potency.
We implore God—exalted and glorified be He—to graciously assist His servants to
do that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to
the Son of the Wolf’)
December 2
… God is, in His Essence, holy above ascent and descent,
entrance and exit; He hath through all eternity been free of the attributes of
human creatures, and ever will remain so. No man hath ever known Him; no soul
hath ever found the pathway to His Being. Every mystic knower hath wandered far
astray in the valley of the knowledge of Him; every saint hath lost his way in
seeking to comprehend His Essence. Sanctified is He above the understanding of
the wise; exalted is He above the knowledge of the knowing! The way is barred
and to seek it is impiety; His proof is His signs; His being is His evidence. [Sermon
by Imam ‘Alí] (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven Valleys’)
December 1
Abandon that which ye possess, and seize that which God, Who
layeth low the necks of men, hath brought. Know ye of a certainty that if ye
turn not back from that which ye have committed, chastisement will overtake you
on every side, and ye shall behold things more grievous than that which ye
beheld aforetime. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised Day
Is Come’)
November 30
Say: We have made
each one of Our Names a wellspring from which We have caused the streams of
divine wisdom and understanding to gush forth and flow in the garden of Our
Cause—streams whose number none can reckon save Thy Lord, the Most Holy, the
Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Wise. Say: We have generated all
Letters from the Point and have caused them to return unto It, and We have sent
It down again in the form of a human temple. All glory be unto the Author of this incomparable and wondrous
handiwork! Erelong shall We unfold and
expound It again, in Our name, the All-Glorious. This is indeed a token of Our grace, and I,
truly, am the Most Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. (Baha'u'llah,
Suriy-i-Haykal, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
November 29
There is no doubt that the Almighty hath sent down these
verses unto Him [the Báb], even as He sent down unto the Apostle of God. Indeed
no less than a hundred thousand verses similar to these have already been
disseminated among the people, not to mention His Epistles, His Prayers or His
learned and philosophical treatises. He revealeth no less than a thousand
verses within the space of five hours. He reciteth verses at a speed consonant
with the capacity of His amanuensis to set them down. Thus, it may well be
considered that if from the inception of this Revelation until now He had been
left unhindered, how vast then would have been the volume of writings
disseminated from His pen. (The Báb, from the Persian Bayán, ‘Selections from
the Writings of the Báb)
November 28
I magnify Thy Name, O my God, and offer thanksgiving unto
Thee, O my Desire, inasmuch as Thou hast enabled me to clearly perceive Thy
straight Path, hast unveiled Thy Great Announcement before mine eyes and hast
aided me to set my face towards the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the
Fountainhead of Thy Cause, whilst Thy servants and Thy people turned away from
Thee. I entreat Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of eternity, by the shrill voice of
the Pen of Glory, and by the Burning Fire which calleth aloud from the verdant
Tree, and by the Ark which Thou hast specially chosen for the people of Bahá, to grant that I may remain steadfast in my love for Thee,
be well pleased with whatsoever Thou hast prescribed for me in Thy Book and may
stand firm in Thy service and in the service of Thy loved ones. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets
of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
November 27
It beseemeth all men in this Day to take firm hold on the
Most Great Name, and to establish the unity of all mankind. There is no place
to flee to, no refuge that any one can seek, except Him. (Baha’u’llah, quoted
by Shoghi Effend in ‘The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters’)
November 26
Consider these days in which the Ancient Beauty, He Who is
the Most Great Name, hath been sent down to regenerate and unify mankind.
Behold how with drawn swords they rose against Him, and committed that which
caused the Faithful Spirit to tremble. And whenever We said unto them: `Lo, the
World Reformer is come,' they made reply: `He, in truth, is one of the stirrers
of mischief'.... (Baha’u’llah, Extracts from the Tablet to Queen Victoria,
cited in Shoghi Effendi, ‘The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters’; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Peace)
November 25
O Czar of Russia! Incline thine ear unto the voice of God,
the King, the Holy, and turn thou unto Paradise, the Spot wherein abideth He
Who, among the Concourse on high, beareth the most excellent titles, and Who,
in the kingdom of creation, is called by the name of God, the Effulgent, the
All-Glorious. Beware that nothing deter thee from setting thy face towards thy
Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We, verily, have heard the thing
for which thou didst supplicate thy Lord, whilst secretly communing with Him.
Wherefore, the breeze of My loving-kindness wafted forth, and the sea of My
mercy surged, and We answered thee in truth. Thy Lord, verily, is the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Whilst I lay, chained and fettered, in the prison of
Tihrán, one of thy ministers extended Me his aid. Wherefore hath God ordained
for thee a station which the knowledge of none can comprehend except His
knowledge. Beware lest thou barter away this sublime station. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
November 24
Bestir yourselves, O people in anticipation of the days of
Divine Justice, for the promised hour is now come. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by
Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised Day Is Come’)
November 23
Arise, O wayfarer in the path of the Love of God, and aid
thou His Cause. Say: Barter not away this Youth, O people, for the vanities of
this world or the delights of heaven. By the righteousness of the one true God!
One hair of Him excelleth all that is in the heavens and all that is on the
earth. Beware, O men, lest ye be tempted to part with Him in exchange for the
gold and silver ye possess. Let His love be a storehouse of treasure for your
souls, on the Day when naught else but Him shall profit you, the Day when every
pillar shall tremble, when the very skins of men shall creep, when all eyes
shall stare up with terror. Say: O people! Fear ye God, and turn not away
disdainfully from His Revelation. Fall prostrate on your faces before God, and
celebrate His praise in the daytime and in the night season. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
November 22
Whensoever the light of Manifestation of the King of Oneness
settleth upon the throne of the heart and soul, His shining becometh visible in
every limb and member. At that time the mystery of the famed tradition gleameth
out of the darkness: “A servant is drawn unto Me in prayer until I answer him;
and when I have answered him, I become the ear wherewith he heareth....” For
thus the Master of the house hath appeared within His home, and all the pillars
of the dwelling are ashine with His light. And the action and effect of the
light are from the Light-Giver; so it is that all move through Him and arise by
His will. And this is that spring whereof the near ones drink, as it is said:
“A fount whereof the near unto God shall drink....” [Qur’án 83:28]
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven Valleys’)
November 21
O My Brother! A pure heart is as a mirror; cleanse it with
the burnish of love and severance from all save God, that the true sun may
shine within it and the eternal morning dawn. Then wilt thou clearly see the
meaning of “Neither doth My earth nor My heaven contain Me, but the heart of My
faithful servant containeth Me.” [Hadíth], … (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven
Valleys’)
November 20
Twelve hundred and seventy years have elapsed since the
declaration of Muhammad, and each year unnumbered people
have circumambulated the House of God [Mecca]. In the concluding year of this
period He Who is Himself the Founder of the House went on pilgrimage. Great
God! There was a vast concourse of pilgrims from every sect. Yet not one
recognized Him, though He recognized every one of them—souls tightly held in
the grasp of His former commandment. The only person who recognized Him and
performed pilgrimage with Him is the one round whom revolve eight Vahíds, [1]
in whom God hath gloried before the Concourse on high by virtue of his absolute
detachment and for his being wholly devoted to the Will of God. This doth not
mean that he was made the object of a special favour, nay, this is a favour
which God hath vouchsafed unto all men, yet they have suffered themselves to be
veiled from it. (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from
the Writings of the Báb)
[1] This is a reference to Quddús, ‘whom the Persian Bayán
extolled as that fellow-pilgrim round whom mirrors to the number of eight
Vahíds revolve’. (God Passes By)
November 19
Were men to meditate upon the lives of the Prophets of old,
so easily would they come to know and understand the ways of these Prophets
that they would cease to be veiled by such deeds and words as are contrary to
their own worldly desires, and thus consume every intervening veil with the
fire burning in the Bush of divine knowledge, and abide secure upon the throne
of peace and certitude. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan)
November 18
Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He
Who from everlasting hath been clothed with majesty, with authority and power,
and will continue unto everlasting to be arrayed with honor, with strength and
glory. The learned, one and all, stand aghast before the signs and tokens of
Thy handiwork, while the wise find themselves, without exception, impotent to
unravel the mystery of Them Who are the Manifestations of Thy might and power.
Every man of insight hath confessed his powerlessness to scale the heights of
Thy knowledge, and every man of learning hath acknowledged his failure to
fathom the nature of Thine Essence. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations by
Baha’u’llah’)
November 17
O Thou cherished Fruit of the heart! Give ear to the
melodies of this mystic Bird warbling in the loftiest heights of heaven. The
Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me to proclaim: Verily, verily, I am God, He
besides Whom there is none other God. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
O My servants! Seek ye earnestly this highest reward, as I
have indeed created for the Remembrance of God gardens which remain inscrutable
to anyone save Myself, and naught therein hath been made lawful unto anyone
except those whose lives have been sacrificed in His Path. Hence beseech ye
God, the Most Exalted, that He may grant you this meritorious reward, and He is
in truth the Most High, the Most Great. Had it been Our wish, We would have
brought all men into one fold round Our Remembrance, yet they will not cease to
differ, [cf. Qur’án 11:120] unless God accomplish what He willeth through the
power of truth. In the estimation of the Remembrance this commandment hath, in
very truth, been irrevocably ordained...
God hath indeed chosen Thee to warn the people, to guide the
believers aright and to elucidate the secrets of the Book. (The Báb, excerpts
from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
November 16
O SON OF SPIRIT! Ask not of Me that which We desire not for
thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that
which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
November 15
Should it be Our wish, it is in Our power to compel, through
the agency of but one letter of Our Revelation, the world and all that is
therein to recognize, in less than the twinkling of an eye, the truth of Our
Cause....
Truly other apostles have been laughed to scorn before Thee,
[cf. Qur’án 6:10] and Thou art none other but the Servant of God, sustained by
the power of Truth. Ere long We shall prolong the days of such as have rejected
the Truth by reason of that which their hands have wrought, [cf. Qur’án 3:172] and
verily God will not deal unjustly with anyone, even to the extent of a speck on
a date-stone. (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the
Writings of the Báb)
November 14
O peoples of the earth! God, the Eternal Truth, is My
witness that streams of fresh and soft-flowing waters have gushed from the
rocks through the sweetness of the words uttered by your Lord, the
Unconstrained; and still ye slumber. Cast away that which ye possess, and, on
the wings of detachment, soar beyond all created things. Thus biddeth you the
Lord of creation, the movement of Whose Pen hath revolutionized the soul of
mankind. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
November 13
How often hath it been observed that certain human minds, far
from being a source of guidance, have become as fetters upon the feet of the
wayfarers and prevented them from treading the straight Path! The lesser
intellect being thus circumscribed, one must search after Him Who is the
ultimate Source of knowledge and strive to recognize Him. And should one come
to acknowledge that Source round Whom every mind doth revolve, then whatsoever
He should ordain is the expression of the dictates of a consummate wisdom. His
very Being, even as the sun, is distinct from all else beside Him. The whole
duty of man is to recognize Him; once this hath been achieved, then whatsoever
He may please to ordain is binding and in full accordance with the requirements
of divine wisdom. Thus have ordinances and prohibitions of every kind been laid
down by the Prophets of the past, even unto the earliest times. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The
Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other
Writings’)
November 12
Say: This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine of
utterance hath imprinted the testimony: “He that was hidden from the eyes of
men is revealed, girded with sovereignty and power!” This is the Paradise, the
rustling of whose leaves proclaims: “O ye that inhabit the heavens and the
earth! There hath appeared what hath never previously appeared. He Who, from
everlasting, had concealed His Face from the sight of creation is now come.”
From the whispering breeze that wafteth amidst its branches there cometh the
cry: “He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is made manifest. The Kingdom is
God’s,” while from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur: “All eyes are
gladdened, for He Whom none hath beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered,
hath lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the countenance of Beauty.” (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah’)
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