The time is at hand
when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and hearts of men will be disclosed.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
February 2
O Shaykh!...The State
officials, considering the secret progress of the Extended Cord have, from
every direction, incited and aided Mine adversaries. In the Great City
(Constantinople) they have roused a considerable number of people to oppose
this Wronged One. Things have come to such a pass that the officials in that
city have acted in a manner which hath brought shame to both the government and
the people. A distinguished siyyid, whose well-known integrity, acceptable
conduct, and commercial reputation, were recognized by the majority of
fair-minded men, and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant, once
visited Beirut. In view of his friendship for this Wronged One they telegraphed
the Persian Dragoman informing him that this siyyid, assisted by his servant,
had stolen a sum of money and other things and gone to Akká. Their design in
this matter was to dishonor this Wronged One. And yet, far be it from the
people of this country to allow themselves to be deflected, by these unseemly
tales, from the straight path of uprightness and truth. Briefly, they have
assaulted Me from every side, and are reinforcing Mine adversaries.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Epistle to the Son of the
Wolf’)
February 1
O concourse of the
earth! By God! I am the true Faith of God amongst you. Beware that ye deny Me
not. God hath manifested Me with a light that hath encompassed all that are in
the heavens and all that are on earth. Judge ye equitably, O people, My
manifestation, and the revelation of My glory, and the radiance of My light, and
be not of them that act unjustly.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
January 31
All praise and glory
be to God Who, through the power of His might, hath delivered His creation from
the nakedness of non-existence, and clothed it with the mantle of life. From
among all created things He hath singled out for His special favor the pure, the
gem-like reality of man, and invested it with a unique capacity of knowing Him
and of reflecting the greatness of His glory. This twofold distinction
conferred upon him hath cleansed away from his heart the rust of every vain
desire, and made him worthy of the vesture with which his Creator hath deigned
to clothe him. It hath served to rescue his soul from the wretchedness of
ignorance.
This robe with which
the body and soul of man hath been adorned is the very foundation of his
well-being and development. Oh, how blessed the day when, aided by the grace
and might of the one true God, man will have freed himself from the bondage and
corruption of the world and all that is therein, and will have attained unto
true and abiding rest beneath the shadow of the Tree of Knowledge!
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
January 30
The one true God
well knoweth, and all the company of His trusted ones testify, that this
Wronged One hath, at all times, been faced with dire peril. But for the
tribulations that have touched Me in the path of God, life would have held no
sweetness for Me, and My existence would have profited Me nothing. For them who
are endued with discernment, and whose eyes are fixed upon the Sublime Vision,
it is no secret that I have been, most of the days of My life, even as a slave,
sitting under a sword hanging on a thread, knowing not whether it would fall
soon or late upon him. And yet, notwithstanding all this We render thanks unto
God, the Lord of the worlds.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
January 29
And now concerning
thy question regarding the nature of religion. Know thou that they who are
truly wise have likened the world unto the human temple. As the body of man
needeth a garment to clothe it, so the body of mankind must needs be adorned
with the mantle of justice and wisdom. Its robe is the Revelation vouchsafed
unto it by God. Whenever this robe hath fulfilled its purpose, the Almighty
will assuredly renew it. For every age requireth a fresh measure of the light
of God. Every Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner that befitted
the circumstances of the age in which it hath appeared.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
January 28
These are not days
of prosperity and triumph. The whole of mankind is in the grip of manifold
ills. Strive, therefore, to save its life through the wholesome medicine which
the almighty hand of the unerring Physician hath prepared.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah’)
January 27
Consider that which
hath been sent down unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God. The measure of the
Revelation of which He was the bearer had been clearly foreordained by Him Who
is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. They that heard Him, however, could
apprehend His purpose only to the extent of their station and spiritual
capacity. He, in like manner, uncovered the Face of Wisdom in proportion to
their ability to sustain the burden of His Message. No sooner had mankind
attained the stage of maturity, than the Word revealed to men’s eyes the latent
energies with which it had been endowed—energies which manifested themselves in
the plenitude of their glory when the Ancient Beauty appeared, in the year
sixty, in the person of ‘Alí-Muhammad, the Báb.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
January 26
It hath been decreed
by Us that the Word of God and all the potentialities thereof shall be
manifested unto men in strict conformity with such conditions as have been
foreordained by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have, moreover,
ordained that its veil of concealment be none other except its own Self. Such
indeed is Our Power to achieve Our Purpose. Should the Word be allowed to
release suddenly all the energies latent within it, no man could sustain the
weight of so mighty a Revelation. Nay, all that is in heaven and on earth would
flee in consternation before it.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah’)
January 25
No man can ever
claim to have comprehended the nature of the hidden and manifold grace of God;
none can fathom His all-embracing mercy. Such hath been the perversity of men
and their transgressions, so grievous have been the trials that have afflicted
the Prophets of God and their chosen ones, that all mankind deserveth to be
tormented and to perish. God’s hidden and most loving providence, however,
hath, through both visible and invisible agencies, protected and will continue
to protect it from the penalty of its wickedness. Ponder this in thine heart,
that the truth may be revealed unto thee, and be thou steadfast in His path.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
January 24
We desire but the
good of the world and the happiness of the nations... 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.
- Baha’u’llah (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
January 23
O ye discerning
ones! Verily, the words which have descended from the heaven of the Will of God
are the source of unity and harmony for the world. Close your eyes to racial
differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness.
- Baha’u’llah (Quoted by
Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
January 22
How many the lands
that remained untilled and uncultivated; and how many the lands that were
tilled and cultivated, and yet remained without water; and how many the lands
which, when the harvest time arrived, no harvester came forth to reap! However,
through the wonders of God's favour and the revelations of His loving-kindness,
We cherish the hope that souls may appear who are the embodiments of heavenly
virtue and who will occupy themselves with teaching the Cause of God and
training all that dwell on earth.
- Baha’u’llah (Cited in a letter from the Universal
House of Justice to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, 29
December 2015)
January 21
We have permitted you to listen to music and singing. Beware
lest such listening cause you to transgress the bounds of decency and dignity.
Rejoice in the joy of My Most Great Name through which the hearts are enchanted
and the minds of the well-favoured are attracted.
- Baha’u’llah (The Compilation
of Compilations, vol. I, A Chase and Holy Life)
January 20
Say: By the righteousness of God! I, verily, am His [The
Báb’s]
Best-Beloved; and at this moment He listeneth to these verses descending from
the Heaven of Revelation and bewaileth the wrongs ye have committed in these
days. Fear God, and join not with the aggressor. Say: O people, should ye
choose to disbelieve in Him, [Bahá’u’lláh] refrain at least from rising up against Him. By
God! Sufficient are the hosts of tyranny that are leagued against Him!
- Baha’u’llah (‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
January 19
In formulating the
principles and laws a part hath been devoted to penalties which form an
effective instrument for the security and protection of men. However, dread of
the penalties maketh people desist only outwardly from committing vile and
contemptible deeds, while that which guardeth and restraineth man both
outwardly and inwardly hath been and still is the fear of God. It is man’s true
protector and his spiritual guardian. It behoveth him to cleave tenaciously
unto that which will lead to the appearance of this supreme bounty. Well is it
with him who giveth ear unto whatsoever My Pen of Glory hath proclaimed and
observeth that whereunto he is bidden by the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
January 18
Justice hath a
mighty force at its command. It is none other than reward and punishment for
the deeds of men. By the power of this force the tabernacle of order is
established throughout the world, causing the wicked to restrain their natures
for fear of punishment.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after
the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
January 17
O God! The trials
Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will;
the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have
drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are
Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy
face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy
oneness, and separation from Thee is death unto them that have recognized Thy
truth!
- Baha’u’llah (‘Prayers and Meditations of Baha’u’llah’)
January 16
Naught shall avail
you in this Day but God, nor is there any refuge to flee to save Him, the
Omniscient, the All-Wise. Whoso hath known Me hath known the Goal of all
desire, and whoso hath turned unto Me hath turned unto the Object of all
adoration. Thus hath it been set forth in the Book, and thus hath it been
decreed by God, the Lord of all worlds. To read but one of the verses of My
Revelation is better than to peruse the Scriptures of both the former and
latter generations. This is the Utterance of the All-Merciful, would that ye
had ears to hear! Say: This is the essence of knowledge, did ye but understand.
- Baha’u’llah (‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
January 15
How can a true lover
continue to exist when once the effulgent glories of the Beloved are revealed?
How can the shadow endure when once the sun hath shone forth? How can a devoted
heart have any being before the existence of the Object of its devotion? Nay,
by the One in Whose hand is my soul! In this station, [the City of Absolute
Nothingness] the seeker’s complete surrender and utter effacement before his
Creator will be such that, were he to search the East and the West, and
traverse land, sea, mountain and plain, he would find no trace of his own self
or of any other soul.
- Baha’u’llah (‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’)
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