God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of teaching His Cause. Whosoever ariseth to discharge this duty must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers (Baha'u'llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah’)
April 19
The station which he who hath truly recognized this Revelation will attain is the same as the one ordained for such prophets of the house of Israel as are not regarded as Manifestations 'endowed with constancy.' (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The World Order of Baha'u'llah’)
April 18
Blessed is that teacher who remaineth faithful to the Covenant of God, and occupieth himself with the education of children. For him hath the Supreme Pen inscribed that reward which is revealed in the Most Holy Book. Blessed, blessed is he! (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations’, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
April 17
Be ye God's manifestations of trustworthiness in every land. So perfectly should ye mirror forth this quality that even were ye to travel through cities heaped with gold, your gaze would not for a single moment be seduced by its allure. This is the standard required of you, O assemblage of true believers. Assist ye your gracious Lord with your wealth and substance so that in all the worlds of God His servants may perceive from you the sweet savours of the one true God. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
April 16
Of the new Obligatory Prayers that were later revealed, the
long Obligatory Prayer should be said at those times when one feeleth himself
in a prayerful mood. In truth, it hath been revealed in such wise that if it be
recited to a rock, that rock would stir and speak forth; and if it be recited
to a mountain, that mountain would move and flow. Well is it with the one who
reciteth it and fulfilleth God's precepts. Whichever prayer is read will
suffice. (Baha’u’llah, Compilation on ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and
Fasting’, prepared by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
April 15
The Great Being saith: The man of consummate learning and
the sage endowed with penetrating wisdom are the two eyes to the body of
mankind. God willing, the earth shall never be deprived of these two greatest
gifts.... (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
April 14
This is the Book of Generosity which hath been revealed by
the King of Eternity. Whoso adorneth himself with this virtue hath
distinguished himself and will be blessed by the All-Merciful from His exalted
Kingdom of Glory. However, despite his high rank and prominent position, were
he to pass beyond the limits, he would be regarded among the prodigal by the
All-Knowing, the All- Wise. Cling ye unto moderation. This is the commandment
that He Who is the All-Possessing, the Most High hath enjoined upon you in His
Generous Book. O ye that are the exponents of generosity and the manifestations
thereof! Be generous unto them whom ye find in manifest poverty. O ye that are
possessed of riches! Take heed lest outward appearance deter you from
benevolent deeds in the path of God, the Lord of all mankind. (Baha’u’llah, The
Compilation of Compilation, vol. I, Huqúqu'lláh)
April 13
O SON OF SPIRIT!
I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to
poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the
essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from
anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy
thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me
standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting. (Baha'u'llah, The
Arabic Hidden Words, no. 13) (To read ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s explanation of this passage
please visit Daily Spiritual Food for Thought) (To read additional explanation provided by Shoghi Effendi please visit Daily Spiritual Food for Thought)
April 12
Say, verily any one follower of this Faith can, by the leave of God, prevail over all who dwell in heaven and earth and in whatever lieth between them; for indeed this is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the one true Faith. Therefore fear ye not, neither be ye grieved.
Say, God hath, according to that which is revealed in the Book, taken upon Himself the task of ensuring the ascendancy of any one of the followers of the Truth, over and above one hundred other souls, and the supremacy of one hundred believers over one thousand non-believers and the domination of one thousand of the faithful over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth; inasmuch as God calleth into being whatsoever He willeth by virtue of His behest. Verily He is potent over all things.
Say, the power of God is in the hearts of those who believe in the unity of God and bear witness that no God is there but Him, while the hearts of them that associate partners with God are impotent, devoid of life on this earth, for assuredly they are dead. (The Báb, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, The Power of Divine Assistance)
Say, God hath, according to that which is revealed in the Book, taken upon Himself the task of ensuring the ascendancy of any one of the followers of the Truth, over and above one hundred other souls, and the supremacy of one hundred believers over one thousand non-believers and the domination of one thousand of the faithful over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth; inasmuch as God calleth into being whatsoever He willeth by virtue of His behest. Verily He is potent over all things.
Say, the power of God is in the hearts of those who believe in the unity of God and bear witness that no God is there but Him, while the hearts of them that associate partners with God are impotent, devoid of life on this earth, for assuredly they are dead. (The Báb, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, The Power of Divine Assistance)
April 11
Beware lest ye contend with any one, nay, strive to make him aware of the truth with kindly manner and most convincing exhortation. If your hearer respond, he will have responded to his own behoof, and if not, turn ye away from him, and set your faces towards God's sacred Court, the seat of resplendent holiness.
April 10
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes and names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of that Most Great Light. Methinks, but for the potency of that revelation, no being could ever exist. How resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an atom, and how vast the oceans of wisdom that surge within a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of man, who, among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of such gifts, and hath been singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in him are potentially revealed all the attributes and names of God to a degree that no other created being hath excelled or surpassed. All these names and attributes are applicable to him....
...From that which hath been said it becometh evident that all things, in their inmost reality, testify to the revelation of the names and attributes of God within them. Each according to its capacity, indicateth, and is expressive of, the knowledge of God. So potent and universal is this revelation, that it hath encompassed all things visible and invisible....(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; Compilation: ‘Nature’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
April 9
In the abundance of Our grace and
loving-kindness We have revealed specially for the rulers and ministers of the
world that which is conducive to safety and protection, tranquillity and peace;
haply the children of men may rest secure from the evils of oppression. He,
verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the Giver of victory. It is incumbent
upon the men of God's House of Justice to fix their gaze by day and by night
upon that which hath shone forth from the Pen of Glory for the training of
peoples, the upbuilding of nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding
of his honour. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitab-i-Aqdas’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Peace)
April 8
Say: The fierce gales
and whirlwinds of the world and its peoples can never shake the foundation upon
which the rocklike stability of My chosen ones is based. Gracious God! What
could have prompted these people to enslave and imprison the loved ones of Him
Who is the Eternal Truth? ... The day, however, is approaching when the
faithful will behold the Day Star of justice shining in its full splendor from
the Day Spring of glory. Thus instructeth thee the Lord of all being in this,
His grievous Prison. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, Crisis and Victory)
April 7
Let your acts be a guide
unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ
from their conduct. It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves
from others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the
whole earth. Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and keepeth the precepts
prescribed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All- Wise. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations
vol. I, A Chase and Holy Life)
April 6
Say: Nature in its essence is the
embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are
diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of
discernment. Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the
contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer,
the All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as manifested in
the world of being, no one should question this assertion. It is endowed with a
power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can
perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendour of Our Name, the Creator.
Say: This is an existence which knoweth no decay, and Nature itself is lost in
bewilderment before its revelations, its compelling evidences and its effulgent
glory which have encompassed the universe. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’; Compilation ‘Nature’, prepared
by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
April 5
Thou hast, moreover,
asked Me concerning the state of the soul after its separation from the body.
Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul of man hath walked in the ways of God,
it will, assuredly, return and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved. By the
righteousness of God! It shall attain a station such as no pen can depict, or
tongue describe. The soul that hath remained faithful to the Cause of God, and
stood unwaveringly firm in His Path shall, after his ascension, be possessed of
such power that all the worlds which the Almighty hath created can benefit
through him. Such a soul provideth, at the bidding of the Ideal King and Divine
Educator, the pure leaven that leaveneth the world of being, and furnisheth the
power through which the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest.
Consider how meal needeth leaven to be leavened with. Those souls that are the
symbols of detachment are the leaven of the world. Meditate on this, and be of
the thankful. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah; Compilation on ‘Reincarnation and the Nature and Progress of
the Soul’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of
Justice)
April 4
The first Taráz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and recognise that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or poverty. Having attained the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts or professions is commendable and praise-worthy in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially in the eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the education of the world and to the edification of its peoples. They are, in truth, cup-bearers of the life-giving water of knowledge and guides unto the ideal way. They direct the peoples of the world to the straight path and acquaint them with that which is conducive to human upliftment and exaltation. (Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Social and Economic Development)
April 3
Were a man in this day to
adorn himself with the raiment of trustworthiness it were better for him in the
sight of God than that he should journey on foot towards the holy court and be
blessed with meeting the Adored One and standing before His Seat of Glory.
Trustworthiness is as a stronghold to the city of humanity, and as eyes to the
human temple. Whosoever remaineth deprived thereof shall, before His Throne, be
reckoned as one bereft of vision. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations,
Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
April 2
The betterment of the
world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable
and seemly conduct.... (Bahá'u'lláh, cited in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’ by
Shoghi Effendi; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, A Chase and Holy Life)
April 1
Say: God hath made My
hidden love the key to the Treasure; would that ye might perceive it! But for
the key, the Treasure would to all eternity have remained concealed; would that ye
might believe it! Say: This is the Source of Revelation, the Dawning-place of
Splendour, Whose brightness hath illumined the horizons of the world.
Would that ye might understand! This is, verily, that fixed Decree through
which every irrevocable decree hath been established. (Baha'u'llah, The
Kitab-i-Aqdas)
March 31
O SON OF MAN!
If thou lovest Me, turn
away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that
thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee. (Baha'u'llah, The
Arabic Hidden Words, no.7)
(For an explanation of
this passage please visit Daily Spiritual Food for Thought)
March 30
He Who is both the
Beginning and the End, He Who is both Stillness and Motion, is now manifest
before your eyes. Behold how, in this Day, the Beginning is reflected in the
End, how out of Stillness Motion hath been engendered. This motion hath been
generated by the potent energies which the words of the Almighty have released
throughout the entire creation. Whoso hath been quickened by its vitalizing
power, will find himself impelled to attain the court of the Beloved; and whoso
hath deprived himself therefrom, will sink into irretrievable despondency. (Baha'u'llah,
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah)
March 29
He is truly wise whom the world and all that is therein have not deterred from recognizing the light of this Day, who will not allow men's idle talk to cause him to swerve from the way of righteousness. He is indeed as one dead who, at the wondrous dawn of this Revelation, hath failed to be quickened by its soul-stirring breeze. He is indeed a captive who hath not recognized the Supreme Redeemer, but hath suffered his soul to be bound, distressed and helpless, in the fetters of his desires. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah)
March 28
Incline your ears to the words of this unlettered One, wherewith He summoneth you unto God, the Ever-Abiding. Better is this for you than all the treasures of the earth, could ye but comprehend it.... (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening our Knowledge of the Faith)
March 27
The friends of God, one and all, are remembered by the Supreme Pen: The bounties of the Source of Bounty are at every moment visibly descending. It behoveth the friends in whatever land they be, to gather together in meetings, and therein to speak wisely and with eloquence, and to read the verses of God; for it is God's Words that kindle love's fire and set it ablaze. (Bahá'u'lláh, Compilation ‘Baha’i Meetings’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
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