January 29

…certain feeble souls have confined the wide expanse of knowledge within the walls of self and passion, and beneath the cloak of ignorance and blindness, and have thereby veiled themselves from the light of the mystic Sun and the mysteries of the eternal Beloved. They have strayed far from the gem-like wisdom of the resplendent Faith of the Lord of the Messengers,[1] have been shut out of the inner court of the All-Beauteous, and have been banished from the Kaaba of glory. Such is the worth of the people of this age! 

- Baha’u’llah  (The Seven Valleys, revised translation by the Baha’i World Center included in ‘The Call of the Divine Beloved’)

[1] The Prophet Muhammad

January 28

We admonish you to observe trustworthiness, piety, chastity, honesty, and fidelity. In this day, and from this time forth, the hosts of God are none other but goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. Aid ye the True One with these hosts.… 

- Baha’u’llah (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 27

No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayán. 

-Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)

January 26

O people of the world! The fruits of the tree of man are justice and fair-mindedness. Should he not be possessed of these fruits, he is fit but for the fire. Pride hath blinded both their outer and their inner vision. The world is in need of two things: order and justice.… 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 25

It hath been laid down in the Bayan 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; compilation ‘Consent of Parents to Marriage,’ prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

January 24

O people of the Caucasus! Batḥá (Mecca) hath flowed with water, and the Supreme Horizon hath been suffused with light! By My life! The countenance of Ḥijáz hath been wreathed in smiles, inasmuch as the Tabernacle of Majesty hath been pitched upon the slopes of Carmel, and the Day-Star of Revelation hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of God, after the veils of glory had been rent asunder by the finger of Divine omnipotence.…

O people of the Caucasus! He that was named ‘Abdu’l-Karím [1] came unto you and announced unto you this Mystery, in remembrance of which men’s hearts have been enkindled, and in separation from which their souls have been consumed. He, verily, held fast the cord of Mine allegiance and clung to the hem of the mercy of His Lord, the Lord of all men.…

O people of the Caucasus! Give ear unto the call of this Wronged One! This is that call for the purpose of hearing which the peoples of the world have, from a state of utter nothingness, been brought into existence.…

…‘Abdu’l-Karím was an exemplar of this Most Great Revelation. Like unto the breeze of dawn, He blew from the quarter of Divine bounty. He himself was aflame with the fire of love for this Revelation, while a portion of the ocean of understanding had been bestowed upon him. This was a token of God’s favour unto him.… 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

[1] Siyyid ‘Abdu’l-Karím-i-Urdúbádí

January 23

The Báb, the Lord, the most exalted—may the life of all be a sacrifice unto Him,—hath specifically revealed an Epistle unto the divines of every city, wherein He hath fully set forth the character of the denial and repudiation of each of them. “Wherefore, take ye good heed ye who are men of insight!”[Qur’án 59:2] By His references to their opposition He intended to invalidate the objections which the people of the Bayán might raise in the day of the manifestation of “Mustagháth,” [He Who is invoked] the day of the Latter Resurrection, claiming that, whereas in the Dispensation of the Bayán a number of divines have embraced the Faith, in this latter Revelation none of these hath recognized His claim. His purpose was to warn the people lest, God forbid, they cling to such foolish thoughts and deprive themselves of the divine Beauty. Yea, these divines to whom We have referred, were mostly unrenowned, and, by the grace of God they were all purged of earthly vanities and free from the trappings of leadership. “Such is the bounty of God; to whom He will He giveth it.” 

- Baha’u’llah (‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)

January 22

All the days have been honoured, O my God, by the arrival of the days upon which Thou hast conferred the name of Há, each of which Thou hast made a herald and a messenger announcing unto the people the advent of the days on which Thou didst enjoin Thy creation and Thy people to observe the Fast. Thus may every soul prepare himself to behold these days and appoint a place for them in his heart and purify it by Thy Name, the Lord, for their appearance. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 21

Whatever hath befallen you hath been for the sake of God. This is the truth, and in this there is no doubt. Ye should, therefore, leave all your affairs in His Hands, place your trust in Him, and rely upon Him. He will assuredly not forsake you. In this, likewise, there is no doubt. No father will surrender his sons to devouring beasts; no shepherd will leave his flock to ravening wolves. He will most certainly do his utmost to protect his own.

If, however, for a few days, in compliance with God’s all-encompassing wisdom, outward affairs should run their course contrary to one’s cherished desire, this is of no consequence and should not matter. Our intent is that all the friends should fix their gaze on the Supreme Horizon and cling to that which hath been revealed in the Tablets. They should strictly avoid sedition and refrain from treading the path of dissension and strife. They should champion their one true God, exalted be He, through the hosts of forbearance, of submission, of an upright character, of goodly deeds, and of the choicest and most refined words. 

- Baha’u’llah  (From a Tablet; Compilation: ‘Fire and Light’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; The Baha’i World 1979-1983)

January 20

And now concerning the poor, thou hast written to ask whether it is permissible to pay them out of the Right of God. This is conditional upon permission having been granted. In each locality where the Right of God is being received, details of it must be submitted to His exalted presence together with a statement describing the position of the needy ones. Verily He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. If permission were to be given universally it would lead to strife and give rise to trouble. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 19

We, verily, believe in Him Who, in the person of the Báb, hath been sent down by the Will of the one true God, the King of Kings, the All-Praised. We, moreover, swear fealty to the One Who, in the time of Mustagháth, is destined to be made manifest, as well as to those Who shall come after Him till the end that hath no end. We recognize in the manifestation of each one of them, whether outwardly or inwardly, the manifestation of none but God Himself, if ye be of those that comprehend. Every one of them is a mirror of God, reflecting naught else but His Self, His Beauty, His Might and Glory, if ye will understand. All else besides them are to be regarded as mirrors capable of reflecting the glory of these Manifestations Who are themselves the Primary Mirrors of the Divine Being, if ye be not devoid of understanding. No one hath ever escaped them, neither are they to be hindered from achieving their purpose. These Mirrors will everlastingly succeed each other, and will continue to reflect the light of the Ancient of Days. They that reflect their glory will, in like manner, continue to exist for evermore, for the Grace of God can never cease from flowing. This is a truth that none can disprove. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

January 18

If the learned ones of the earth were all present at the time of the revealing of Our verses, know ye of a certainty that they would all acknowledge the truth of this Revelation. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 17

In this Day the Bayán is conditioned and dependent upon the acceptance of this Most Great Revelation. We, verily, did send down unto My Herald that which caused the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, to rejoice. We sent it unto Him and, when it reached Him and He perused it, He was so transported by the breaths of Revelation that with His whole being He soared into Mine atmosphere, and purposed to attain My presence and to stand before My face. Such was the vibrant influence of Our words upon Him as no tongue can ever tell, nor any pen recount. To this testifieth the Mother Book in this, the Day of Return. We, verily, concealed the root of the Cause in order to ensure its preservation—this in token of Our wisdom, and I, truly, am the All-Glorious, the Unconstrained. He doeth what He willeth and shall not be asked of what He pleaseth to ordain. He is the God of strength, of glory and of wisdom. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 16

This Huqúq which hath been mentioned, and the command of which hath issued forth from the horizon of God’s Holy Tablet, hath benefits which are the prescribed lot of the individuals themselves. By God! Were the people to know what hath been concealed from their eyes and become fully aware of the ocean of grace which lieth hid within this divine command, all the people of the world would offer everything they possess in order to be mentioned by Him. Blessed is the man who hath been privileged to observe that which he hath been commanded by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise....

As bidden by Him, no one is allowed to solicit payment of the Ḥuqúq. In the Book of God everyone is enjoined to offer the Ḥuqúq spontaneously and in a spirit of joy and fellowship. I beseech Him, the Most Exalted, to graciously enable everyone to do that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 15

By the righteousness of God! The sword of a virtuous character and upright conduct is sharper than blades of steel. The voice of the true Faith calleth aloud, at this moment, and saith: O people! Verily, the Day is come, and My Lord hath made Me to shine forth with a light whose splendor hath eclipsed the suns of utterance. Fear ye the Merciful, and be not of them that have gone astray.” 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)

January 14

All should know, and in this regard attain the splendours of the sun of certitude, and be illumined thereby: Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God. The Dawning-Place of the Light of God sheddeth its radiance upon all with the same effulgence. Verily God created women for men, and men for women. The most beloved of people before God are the most steadfast and those who have surpassed others in their love for God, exalted be His glory....

The friends of God must be adorned with the ornament of justice, equity, kindness, and love. As they do not allow themselves to be the object of cruelty and transgression, in like manner they should not allow such tyranny to visit the handmaidens of God. He, verily, speaketh the truth and commandeth that which benefiteth His servants and handmaidens. He is the Protector of all in this world and the next. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

January 13

Say, O friends! Strive that haply the tribulations suffered by this Wronged One and by you, in the path of God, may not prove to have been in vain. Cling ye to the hem of virtue, and hold fast to the cord of trustworthiness and piety. Concern yourselves with the things that benefit mankind, and not with your corrupt and selfish desires. O ye followers of this Wronged One! Ye are the shepherds of mankind; liberate ye your flocks from the wolves of evil passions and desires, and adorn them with the ornament of the fear of God. This is the firm commandment which hath, at this moment, flowed out from the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)

January 12

It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action.... 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening our Knowledge of the Faith)

January 11

O assemblage of rulers! Ye are the manifestations of power and might, and the fountainheads of the glory, greatness, and authority of God Himself. Gaze upon the plight of the wronged ones. O daysprings of justice! The fierce gales of rancour and hatred have extinguished the lamps of virtue and piety. At dawn, the gentle breeze of divine compassion hath wafted over charred and cast-out bodies, whispering these exalted words: “Woe, woe unto you, O people of Iran! Ye have spilt the blood of your own friends and yet remain in ignorance of what ye have done. Should ye become aware of the deeds ye have perpetrated, ye would flee to the desert and bewail your crimes and tyranny.”

O misguided ones! What sin have the little children committed? Hath anyone, in these days, had pity on the dependants of the oppressed? A report hath reached Us that the followers of the Spirit [1]—may the peace of God and His mercy be upon Him—secretly sent them provisions and befriended them out of utmost sympathy. We beseech God, the Eternal Truth, to confirm all in accomplishing that which is pleasing to Him. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh’; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

[1] Jesus

January 10

We have admonished all the loved ones of God to take heed lest the hem of Our sacred vesture be smirched with the mire of unlawful deeds, or be stained with the dust of reprehensible conduct. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice)