The soul of man is the sun by which his body is illumined,
and from which it draweth its sustenance…
(Baha'u'llah, ‘Gleanings from the
Writings of Baha'u'llah’)
March 30
If thou attainest unto His [Baha’u’llah’s] Revelation and
obeyest Him, thou wilt have revealed the fruit of the Bayán; if not, thou art unworthy
of mention before God.
(The Báb, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘God Passes By’)
March 29
…in the forthcoming Revelation it is He Who is the
Remembrance of God, whereas the devotions which thou art offering at present
have been prescribed by the Point of the Bayán, while He Who will shine resplendent
in the Day of Resurrection is the Revelation of the inner reality enshrined in
the Point of the Bayán — a Revelation more potent, immeasurably more potent,
than the one which hath preceded it.
(The Báb, excerpt from Persian Bayan;
‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
March 28
Salutation
and praise rest upon them that have not been kept back by any transitory thing
whatever, nor have been alarmed by the violent commotions provoked by the
people of the earth-- such people as are immersed in the pursuit of earthly
vanities and have been deluded by the gay livery of the world, in such wise
that they have cast the Cause of God behind their backs. The day is fast
approaching when He will have rolled up their domain and spread out a new one in
its spread. Verily, He is the One, the Peerless. the Powerful, the Invincible,
the Almighty.
(Baha’u’llah, compilation: ‘Fire and Light’, prepared by the Research Department of the
Universal House of Justice; The Baha’i World 1979-1983)
March 27
With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect
fellowship, exert yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that which
beseemeth this Day of God. Verily I say, strife and dissension, and whatsoever
the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station.
(Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
March 26
O people of the Bayán! act not as the people of the Qur’án
have acted, for if ye do so, the fruits of your night will come to naught.
(The
Báb, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘God Passes By’)
March 25
The Commentary on the Súrih of Joseph had, in the first year
of this Revelation, been widely distributed. Nevertheless, when the people
realized that fellow supporters were not forthcoming they hesitated to accept
it; while it never occurred to them that the very Qur’án whereunto unnumbered
souls bear fealty today, was revealed in the midmost heart of the Arab world,
yet to outward seeming for no less than seven years no one acknowledged its
truth except the Commander of the Faithful [Imám ‘Alí]—may the peace of God
rest upon him—who, in response to the conclusive proofs advanced by God’s
supreme Testimony, recognized the Truth and did not fix his eyes on others.
(The
Báb, excerpt from Persian Bayan; ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
March 24
Should anyone acquire one hundred mithqáls
of gold, nineteen mithqáls thereof are God’s and to be rendered unto
Him, the Fashioner of earth and heaven. Take heed, O people, lest ye deprive
yourselves of so great a bounty. This We have commanded you, though We are well
able to dispense with you and with all who are in the heavens and on earth; in
it there are benefits and wisdoms beyond the ken of anyone but God, the
Omniscient, the All-Informed. Say: By this means He hath desired to purify what
ye possess and to enable you to draw nigh unto such stations as none can
comprehend save those whom God hath willed. He, in truth, is the Beneficent,
the Gracious, the Bountiful.
(Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
March 23
The reason why privacy hath been enjoined in moments of
devotion is this, that thou mayest give thy best attention to the remembrance
of God, that thy heart may at all times be animated with His Spirit, and not be
shut out as by a veil from thy Best Beloved. Let not thy tongue pay lip service
in praise of God while thy heart be not attuned to the exalted Summit of Glory,
and the Focal Point of communion.
(The Báb, excerpt from Persian Bayan;
‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
March 22
Dear friend! Now when the light of God’s everlasting Morn is breaking;
when the radiance of His holy words: “God is the light of the heavens and of
the earth” [Qur’án 24:35] is shedding illumination upon all mankind; when the
inviolability of His tabernacle is being proclaimed by His sacred utterance:
“God hath willed to perfect His light;” [Qur’án 9:33] and the Hand of
omnipotence, bearing His testimony: “In His grasp He holdeth the kingdom of all
things,” is being outstretched unto all the peoples and kindreds of the earth;
it behooveth us to gird up the loins of endeavour, that haply, by the grace and
bounty of God, we may enter the celestial City: “Verily, we are God’s,” and
abide within the exalted habitation: “And unto Him we do return.” It is incumbent upon thee, by the permission of God, to
cleanse the eye of thine heart from the things of the world, that thou mayest
realize the infinitude of divine knowledge, and mayest behold Truth so clearly
that thou wilt need no proof to demonstrate His reality, nor any evidence to
bear witness unto His testimony.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
March 21
Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Ruz as a festival
unto those who have observed the fast for love of Thee and abstained from all
that is abhorrent unto Thee.
(Baha'u'llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations by
Baha'u'llah’)
March 20
A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples
of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive.
(Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
March 19
…on the Day of Resurrection God will ask everyone of his
understanding and not of his following in the footsteps of others. How often a
person, having inclined his ears to the holy verses, would bow down in humility
and would embrace the Truth, while his leader would not do so. Thus every
individual must bear his own responsibility, rather than someone else bearing
it for him.
(The Báb, excerpt from Persian Bayan; ‘Selections from the Writings
of the Báb)
March 18
At the time of the appearance of Him Whom God will make
manifest the most distinguished among the learned and the lowliest of men shall
both be judged alike. How often the most insignificant of men have acknowledged
the truth, while the most learned have remained wrapt in veils. Thus in every
Dispensation a number of souls enter the fire by reason of their following in
the footsteps of others.
(The Báb, excerpt from Persian Bayan; ‘Selections from
the Writings of the Báb)
March 17
…hear, O My brother, My plaint against them that claim to be
associated with God and with the Manifestations of His knowledge, and yet
follow their corrupt inclinations, consume the substance of their neighbour,
are given to wine, commit murder, defraud and slander each other, hurl
calumnies against God, and are wont to speak falsely. The people attribute all
these deeds unto Us, whilst their perpetrators remain shameless before God.
They cast aside that which He hath enjoined upon them and commit that which He
hath forbidden….
These people, however, have turned aside from all this and
placed instead their affections upon that which accordeth with their own
corrupt inclinations. Thus do they roam in the wilderness of arrogance and
pride. I bear witness at this moment that God is wholly quit of them, and
likewise are We. We beseech God to suffer Us not to associate with them either
in this life or in the life to come. He, verily, is the Eternal Truth. No God
is there but Him, and His might is equal to all things.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of
Divine Mysteries’)
March 16
If
those that have erred grievously were aware of the hidden mysteries of
martyrdom. they would in no wise commit such deeds. However, God hath caused
them to be tongue-tied and bereft of sight, with their minds and power of
perception reduced to naught, in such wise that they deem a priceless benefit a
grievous loss. With their own hands they help the Cause of God, though they
themselves are wholly unconscious of it. Verily God would at one time render
His Cause victorious through the aid of His enemies and at another by virtue of
the assistance of His chosen ones. Concerning those pure and blessed souls, Our
Pen of Glory hath revealed that which excelleth the whole world, its treasures
and whatsoever existeth therein. Ere long shall the heedless and the doers of
wickedness be repaid for that which their hands have wrought.
(Baha’u’llah,
compilation: ‘Fire and Light’, prepared
by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; The Baha’i
World 1979-1983)
March 15
O people! Deal not faithlessly with the Right
of God, nor, without His leave, make free with its disposal. Thus hath His
commandment been established in the holy Tablets, and in this exalted Book. He
who dealeth faithlessly with God shall in justice meet with faithlessness himself;
he, however, who acteth in accordance with God’s bidding shall receive a
blessing from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bestower,
the Generous, the Ancient of Days. He, verily, hath willed for you that which
is yet beyond your knowledge, but which shall be known to you when, after this
fleeting life, your souls soar heavenwards and the trappings of your earthly
joys are folded up. Thus admonisheth you He in Whose possession is the Guarded
Tablet.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
March 14
…it behoveth the people of truth that the signs of humility
should shine upon their faces, that the light of sanctity should radiate from
their countenances, that they should walk upon the earth as though they were in
the presence of God and distinguish themselves in their deeds from all the
dwellers of the earth. Such must be their state that their eyes should behold
the evidences of His might, their tongues and hearts make mention of His name,
their feet be set towards the lands of His nearness, and their hands take fast
hold upon His precepts. And were they to pass through a valley of pure gold and
mines of precious silver, they should regard them as wholly unworthy of their
attention.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’)
March 13
We beseech the peerless Lord to enable thee to assist His
Cause and to lead those who are sore athirst in the wilderness of ignorance to
the water of life. His might, in truth, is equal to all things.
(Baha’u’llah,
‘The Tabernacle of Unity’)
March 12
O affectionate seeker! Shouldst thou soar in the holy realm of the
spirit, thou wouldst recognize God manifest and exalted above all things, in
such wise that thine eyes would behold none else but Him. “God was alone; there
was none else besides Him.” So lofty is this station that no testimony can bear
it witness, neither evidence do justice to its truth. Wert thou to explore the
sacred domain of truth, thou wilt find that all things are known only by the
light of His recognition, that He hath ever been, and will continue for ever to
be, known through Himself. And if thou dwellest in the land of testimony,
content thyself with that which He, Himself, hath revealed: “Is it not enough
for them that We have sent down unto Thee the Book?” [Qur’án 29:51] This is the
testimony which He, Himself, hath ordained; greater proof than this there is none, nor ever will be: “This proof is His Word;
His own Self, the testimony of His truth.”
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
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