December 6
O people of the Bayán!
If ye aid Him not, God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of
earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen through His
command “Be”, and it is! The day is approaching
when God will have, by an act of His Will, raised up a race of men the nature
of which is inscrutable to all save God, the All-Powerful, the
Self-Subsisting. He shall purify them
from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires, shall lift them up to
the heights of holiness, and shall cause them to manifest the signs of His
sovereignty and might upon earth. Thus
hath it been ordained by God, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving. (Baha’u’llah,
Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
December 5
Every eye, in this Day, should seek what will best promote the Cause of God. He, Who is the Eternal Truth,
beareth Me witness! Nothing whatever can, in this Day, inflict a greater harm
upon this Cause than dissension and strife, contention, estrangement and
apathy, among the loved ones of God. Flee them, through the power of God and
His sovereign aid, and strive ye to knit together the hearts of men, in His
Name, the Unifier, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
December 4
O children of understanding! If the eyelid, however
delicate, can deprive man’s outer eye from beholding the world and all that is
therein, consider then what would be wrought if the veil of covetousness were
to descend upon his inner eye. Say: O people! The darkness of greed and envy
becloudeth the radiance of the soul even as the clouds obstruct the light of
the sun. Should anyone hearken unto this utterance with a discerning ear, he
will unfurl the wings of detachment and soar effortlessly in the atmosphere of
true understanding. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s
Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
December 3
By the righteousness of God! Idle fancies have debarred men
from the Horizon of Certitude, and vain imaginings withheld them from the
Choice Sealed Wine. In truth I say, and for the sake of God I declare: This
Servant, this Wronged One, is abashed to claim for Himself any existence
whatever, how much more those exalted grades of being! Every man of
discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as
he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his
wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by
God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There can be
no doubt that whoever is cognizant of this truth, is cleansed and sanctified
from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory. Whatever hath been said hath come
from God. Unto this, He, verily, hath borne, and beareth now, witness, and He,
in truth, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the
Son of the Wolf’)
December 2
By the righteousness of Him Who hath called thee into being
and unto Whom ere long thou shalt return, if thou remainest, at the moment of
death, a disbeliever in the signs of thy Lord thou shalt surely enter the gates
of hell, and none of the deeds thy hands have wrought will profit thee, nor
shalt thou find a patron nor anyone to plead for thee. Fear thou God and pride
not thyself on thine earthly possessions, inasmuch as what God doth possess is
better for them that tread the path of righteousness.
Verily in this Day all that dwell on earth are the servants of God. As to those who truly believe in God and are well assured in the signs revealed by Him, perchance He will graciously forgive them the things their hands have committed, and will grant them admission into the precincts of His mercy. He, in truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate. But the verdict of divine chastisement is pronounced against those who have turned away disdainfully from Me and have repudiated the conclusive proofs and the unerring Book with which God hath invested Me, and on the Day of Severing they shall find no protector or helper. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
Verily in this Day all that dwell on earth are the servants of God. As to those who truly believe in God and are well assured in the signs revealed by Him, perchance He will graciously forgive them the things their hands have committed, and will grant them admission into the precincts of His mercy. He, in truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate. But the verdict of divine chastisement is pronounced against those who have turned away disdainfully from Me and have repudiated the conclusive proofs and the unerring Book with which God hath invested Me, and on the Day of Severing they shall find no protector or helper. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
December 1
We ask for neither meed nor reward. “We nourish your souls
for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks.” [Qur’án
76:9] This is the food that conferreth everlasting life
upon the pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which
it is said: “Lord, send down upon us Thy bread from heaven.” [Qur’án 5:117]
This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever
be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at
all seasons from the heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: “Seest
thou not to what God likeneth a good word? To a good tree; its root firmly
fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all seasons.”[
Qur’án 14:24] (Baha'u'llah, 'Kitab-i-Iqan')
November 30
O King! Wert thou to incline thine ears unto the shrill
voice of the Pen of Glory and the cooing of the Dove of Eternity, which on the
branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, uttereth praises to
God, the Maker of all Names and the Creator of earth and heaven, thou wouldst
attain unto a station from which thou wouldst behold in the world of being
naught save the effulgence of the Adored One, and wouldst regard thy
sovereignty as the most contemptible of thy possessions, abandoning it to
whosoever might desire it, and setting thy face toward the Horizon aglow with
the light of His countenance. Neither wouldst thou ever be willing to bear the
burden of dominion save for the purpose of helping thy
Lord, the Exalted, the Most High. Then would the Concourse on high bless thee.
O how excellent is this most sublime station, couldst thou ascend thereunto
through the power of a sovereignty recognized as derived from the Name of God!
(Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet addressed to Nasiri’d-Din Shah, the King of Persia,
quoted in ‘The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
November 29
Be fair to yourselves and to others that the evidences of
justice may be revealed through your deeds among Our faithful servants. (Baha’u’llah,
quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
November 28
In this mountain I have remained alone, and have come to such a pass that none of those gone before Me have suffered what I have suffered, nor any transgressor endured what I have endured! I render praise unto God and yet again praise Him. I find Myself free from sorrow, inasmuch as I abide within the good-pleasure of My Lord and Master. Methinks I am in the all-highest Paradise, rejoicing at My communion with God, the Most Great. Verily this is a bounty which God hath conferred upon Me; and He is the Lord of unbounded blessings.
I swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one who would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be carried into effect. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
I swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one who would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be carried into effect. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
November 27
While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a
most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden—the embodiment of the remembrance of
the name of My Lord—suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her
countenance shone with the ornament of the good pleasure of God, and her cheeks
glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the
hearts and minds of men. She was
imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and
the souls of God’s honoured servants.
Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. his is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. his is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal, ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
November 26
November 25
..."Say: O people of God! Beware lest the powers of the
earth alarm you, or the might of the nations weaken you, or the tumult of the
people of discord deter you, or the exponents of earthly glory sadden you. Be
ye as a mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the
Unconstrained." "Say: Beware, O people of Baha, lest the strong ones
of the earth rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you with
fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping. He,
verily, will, through the power of truth, render you victorious, and He,
verily, is powerful to do what He willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of
omnipotent might." (Baha’u’llah, cited in Shoghi Effendi ‘The Advent of
Divine Justice’ The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, Crisis and Victory)
November 24
O SON OF MAN! Bestow My wealth upon My poor, that in heaven
thou mayest draw from stores of unfading splendor and treasures of imperishable
glory. But by My life! To offer up thy soul is a more glorious thing couldst
thou but see with Mine eye. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words, no. 57 Arabic) (Please
see ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s explanation at 'Daily Spiritual Food for Thought’)
November 23
Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away and
come again unto you.” Consider the sun. Were it to say now, “I am the sun of
yesterday,” it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of
time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth.
In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is
correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and
designations, that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the
same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific
attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly the distinction,
variation, and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness,
that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the creator of all names and
attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer
to thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should
have, at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
November 22
It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world
associate with one another with joy and radiance. O people! Consort with the
followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Thus
hath the day-star of His sanction and authority shone forth above the horizon
of the decree of God, the Lord of the worlds. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah
revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
November 21
Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who
comprehend. Glorified is He Who speaketh
forth from the Kingdom of His Revelation, and Who remaineth unknown to all save
His honoured servants. Glorified is He
Who quickeneth whomsoever He willeth by virtue of His word “Be”, and it
is! Glorified is He Who causeth
whomsoever He willeth to ascend unto the heaven of grace, and sendeth down
therefrom whatsoever He desireth according to a prescribed measure. (Baha’u’llah,
Súrih of the Temple, ‘The Summons of
the Lord of Hosts’)
November 20
By Him Who shineth above the Dayspring of sanctity! If the
whole earth were to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can be said
to have truly ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude would deign to
regard it, much less to seize and keep it.... (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi
Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)
November 19
And likewise, He saith: "Say to them that are of a
fearful heart: be strong, fear not, behold your God."[Isaiah 35:4] This
blessed verse is a proof of the greatness of the Revelation, and of the
greatness of the Cause, inasmuch as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread
confusion throughout the world, and fear and trembling amongst all men. Well is
it with him who hath been illumined with the light of trust and detachment. The
tribulations of that Day will not hinder or alarm him. Thus hath the Tongue of
Utterance spoken, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the
Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.... (Baha’u’llah,
‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I,
Crisis and Victory)
November 18
Even though outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome,
yet inwardly it is bounty and tranquillity. Purification and training are
conditioned and dependent only on such rigorous exercises as are in accord with
the Book of God and sanctioned by Divine law, not those which the deluded have
inflicted upon the people. Whatsoever God hath revealed is beloved of the soul.
We beseech Him that He may graciously assist us to do that which is pleasing
and acceptable unto Him. (Baha’u’llah, compilation ‘The Importance of
Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, prepared by the Research Department of the
Universal House of Justice)
November 17
Even as He hath said: "Man is My mystery, and I am his
mystery." Manifold are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed in
all the Heavenly Books and the Holy Scriptures, expressive of this most subtle
and lofty theme. Even as He hath revealed: "We will surely show them Our
signs in the world and within themselves." Again He saith: "And also
in your own selves: will ye not, then, behold the signs of God?" And yet
again He revealeth: And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath
therefore caused to forget their own selves." In this connection, He Who
is the eternal King -- may the souls of all that dwell within the mystic
Tabernacle be a sacrifice unto Him -- hath spoken: "He hath known God who hath
known himself." (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’;
compilation’ Psychology and Knowledge of Self’, prepared by the Research
Department of the Universal House of Justice)
November 16
The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God, and the
end of all things is strict observance of whatsoever hath been sent down from
the empyrean of the Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in the heavens and
all that is on the earth. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah)
November 15
Glorified is He Who hath revealed His verses to those who understand. Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who perceive. Glorified is He Who guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His path. Say: I, verily, am the Path of God unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth; well is it with them that hasten thereunto! (Baha’u’llah, ‘Súriy-i-Haykal’, Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
November 14
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and
manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish
limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He the
Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto
His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto
them: “I go away and come again unto you.” And in another place He said: “I go
and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will
fulfil all that I have said.” Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you
to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
November 13
.... We desire but the good of the world and happiness of
the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of
bondage and banishment.... 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 -- what harm is there in this?... Yet so it
shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the
"Most Great Peace" shall come.... (Words of Baha’u’llah, spoken to E.
G. Browne, from his pen portrait of Bahá'u'lláh, J. E. Esslemont, ‘Bahá'u'lláh
and the New Era’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Peace)
November 12
It is not permissible to ask questions from Him Whom God
will make manifest, except that which well beseemeth Him. For His station is
that of the Essence of divine Revelation... Whatever evidence of bounty is
witnessed in the world, is but an image of His bounty; and every thing owes its
existence to His Being... The Bayán is, from beginning to end, the repository
of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His light.
Should anyone desire to ask questions, he is allowed to do so only in writing,
that he may derive ample understanding from His written reply and that it may
serve as a sign from his Beloved. However, let no one ask aught that may prove
unworthy of His lofty station. For instance, were a person to inquire the price
of straw from a merchant of rubies, how ignorant would he be and how
unacceptable. Similarly unacceptable would be the questions of the
highest-ranking people of the world in His presence, except such words as He
Himself would utter about Himself in the Day of His manifestation. (The Báb, ‘Selections
from the Writings of the Báb)
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