July 6
The glory of Him Whom God shall make manifest is
immeasurably above every other glory, and His majesty is far above every other
majesty. His beauty excelleth every other embodiment of beauty, and His
grandeur immensely exceedeth every other manifestation of grandeur. Every light
paleth before the radiance of His light, and every other exponent of mercy
falleth short before the tokens of His mercy. Every other perfection is as
naught in face of His consummate perfection, and every other display of might
is as nothing before His absolute might. His names are superior to all other
names. His good-pleasure taketh precedence over any other expression of
good-pleasure. His pre-eminent exaltation is far above the reach of every other
symbol of exaltation. The splendour of His appearance far surpasseth that of
any other appearance. His divine concealment is far more profound than any
other concealment. His loftiness is immeasurably above every other loftiness.
His gracious favour is unequalled by any other evidence of favour. His power
transcendeth every power. His sovereignty is invincible in the face of every
other sovereignty. His celestial dominion is exalted far above every other
dominion. His knowledge pervadeth all created things, and His consummate power
extendeth over all beings. (The Báb, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
July 5
O people of the earth! By the righteousness of the One true
God, I am the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Bahá, abiding within the
Mansion hewn out of a mass of ruby, tender and vibrant; and in this mighty
Paradise naught have I ever witnessed save that which proclaimeth the Remembrance
of God by extolling the virtues of this Arabian Youth. Verily there is none
other God but your Lord, the All-Merciful. Magnify ye, then, His station, for
behold, He is poised in the midmost heart of the All-Highest Paradise as the
embodiment of the praise of God in the Tabernacle wherein His glorification is
intoned. (The Báb, an excerpt from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the
Writings of the Báb)
July 4
You should exhort all the friends to
patience, to acquiescence, and to tranquillity, saying: O ye loved ones of God
in that land! Ye are glorified in all the worlds of God because of your
relationship to Him Who is the Eternal Truth, but in your lives on this earthly
plane, which pass away as a fleeting moment, ye are inflicted with abasement.
For the sake of the One True God, ye have been reviled and persecuted, ye have
been imprisoned, and surrendered your lives in His path. Ye should not,
however, by reason of the tyrannical acts of some heedless souls, transgress
the limits of God's commandments by contending with anyone. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Fire and Light: Excerpts from the Bahá'í
Sacred Writings by the Báb,
Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi’, compiled by Research
Department of the Universal House of Justice; The Baha’i World 1979-1983)
July 3
O Living Temple! Stretch forth Thy hand over all who are in heaven and on earth, and
seize within the grasp of Thy Will the reins of command. We have, verily, placed in Thy right hand the
empire of all things. Do as Thou
willest, and fear not the ignorant. Reach out to the Tablet that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of
Thy Lord, and take hold of it with such strength that, through Thee, the hands
of all who inhabit the earth may be enabled to lay fast hold upon it. This, in truth, is that which becometh Thee,
if Thou be of those who understand. Through the upraising of Thy hand to the heaven of My grace, the hands
of all created things shall be lifted up to their Lord, the Mighty, the
Powerful, the Gracious. Erelong shall We
raise up, through the aid of Thy hand, other hands endued with power, with
strength and might, and shall establish through them Our dominion over all that
dwell in the realms of revelation and creation. Thus will the servants of God recognize the truth that there is none
other God beside Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. With these hands, moreover, We shall both
bestow and withhold, though none can understand this save those who see with
the eye of the spirit. (Baha'u'llah, Suriy-i-Haykal;
'The Summons of the Lord of Hosts')
July 2
The angels and the spirits, arrayed rank upon rank, descend,
by the leave of God, upon this Gate [cf. Qur’án 78:38] and circle round this
Focal Point in a far-stretching line. Greet them with salutations, O
Qurratu’l-‘Ayn, for the dawn hath indeed broken; then proclaim unto the
concourse of the faithful: ‘Is not the rising of the Morn, foreshadowed in the Mother
Book, to be near at hand? [cf. Qur’án 11:83]...’
O Qurratu’l-‘Ayn! Turn Thou eagerly unto God in Thy Cause, for the peoples of the world have risen in iniquity, and but for the outpouring of the grace of God and Thy mercy unto them, no one could purge even a single soul for evermore. [cf. Qur’án 24:21] O Qurratu’l-‘Ayn! The life to come is indeed far more advantageous unto Thee and unto such as follow Thy Cause than this earthly life and its pleasures. This is what hath been foreordained according to the dispensations of Providence... (The Báb, an excerpt from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
O Qurratu’l-‘Ayn! Turn Thou eagerly unto God in Thy Cause, for the peoples of the world have risen in iniquity, and but for the outpouring of the grace of God and Thy mercy unto them, no one could purge even a single soul for evermore. [cf. Qur’án 24:21] O Qurratu’l-‘Ayn! The life to come is indeed far more advantageous unto Thee and unto such as follow Thy Cause than this earthly life and its pleasures. This is what hath been foreordained according to the dispensations of Providence... (The Báb, an excerpt from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
July 1
O peoples of the East and the West! Be ye fearful of God
concerning the Cause of the true Joseph and barter Him not for a paltry price [Qur’án
12:20] established by yourselves, or for a trifle of your earthly possessions,
that ye may, in very truth, be praised by Him as those who are reckoned among
the pious who stand nigh unto this Gate. Verily God hath deprived of His grace
him who martyred Husayn, Our forefather, lonely and forsaken as He was upon the
land of Táff [Karbilá]. Yazíd, the son of Mu’áviyih, out of corrupt desire,
bartered away the head of the true Joseph to the fiendish people for a trifling
price and a petty sum from his property. Verily they repudiated God by
committing a grievous error. Erelong will God wreak His vengeance upon them, at
the time of Our Return, and He hath, in very truth, prepared for them, in the
world to come, a severe torment. (The Báb, an excerpt from the Qayyumu’l-Asma,
‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
June 30
And further We have said: “Doth it behoove you to relate
yourselves to Him Who is the God of mercy, and yet commit the things which the
Evil One hath committed? Nay, by the Beauty of Him Who is the All-Glorified!
could ye but know it. Purge your hearts from love of the world, and your
tongues from calumny, and your limbs from whatsoever may withhold you from
drawing nigh unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Say: By the world is meant
that which turneth you aside from Him Who is the Dawning-Place of Revelation,
and inclineth you unto that which is unprofitable unto you. Verily, the thing
that deterreth you, in this day, from God is worldliness in its essence. Eschew
it, and approach the Most Sublime Vision, this shining and resplendent Seat.
Shed not the blood of anyone, O people, neither judge ye anyone unjustly. Thus
have ye been commanded by Him Who knoweth, Who is informed of all. They that
commit disorders in the land after it hath been well ordered, these indeed have
outstepped the bounds that have been set in the Book. Wretched shall be the
abode of the transgressors!” (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet to Napoleon, ‘Epistle to the
Son of the Wolf’)
June 29
Art thou not ashamed in the presence of God for consenting
to the consignment to a fortress of Him Who is the Testimony of God, and His
being made captive in the hands of the faithless? Woe betide thee and them who
rejoice at this moment in inflicting so dire a humiliation upon Me...
I swear by Him Who hath called Me into being, I can discover no trace of sinfulness in Myself, nor have I followed aught but the Truth; and unto Me God is sufficient witness. Fie upon the world and its people and upon those who take delight in earthly riches, while oblivious of the life to come.
Were the veil to be removed from thine eye thou wouldst crawl unto Me on thy breast, even through the snow, from fear of the chastisement of God which is swift and near at hand. By the righteousness of Him Who hath created thee, wert thou to be acquainted with that which hath transpired during thy reign, thou wouldst wish not to have issued from thy father’s loins, but rather to have passed into oblivion. However, that which God, thy Lord, had ordained hath presently come to pass, and woe betide the oppressors in this day. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
I swear by Him Who hath called Me into being, I can discover no trace of sinfulness in Myself, nor have I followed aught but the Truth; and unto Me God is sufficient witness. Fie upon the world and its people and upon those who take delight in earthly riches, while oblivious of the life to come.
Were the veil to be removed from thine eye thou wouldst crawl unto Me on thy breast, even through the snow, from fear of the chastisement of God which is swift and near at hand. By the righteousness of Him Who hath created thee, wert thou to be acquainted with that which hath transpired during thy reign, thou wouldst wish not to have issued from thy father’s loins, but rather to have passed into oblivion. However, that which God, thy Lord, had ordained hath presently come to pass, and woe betide the oppressors in this day. (The Báb, Extracts from an Epistle to Muhammad Shah of Persia, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
June 28
O SON OF SPIRIT! My claim on thee is great, it cannot be
forgotten. My grace to thee is plenteous, it cannot be veiled. My love has made
in thee its home, it cannot be concealed. My light is manifest to thee, it
cannot be obscured. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
June 27
Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star
of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your
eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with
you at all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of truth. We are
truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such
determination that the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat his
purpose. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
June 26
Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather, follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Erelong shall clamorous voices be raised in most lands. Shun them, O My people, and follow not the iniquitous and evil-hearted. This is that of which We gave you forewarning when We were dwelling in ‘Iráq, then later while in the Land of Mystery, and now from this Resplendent Spot. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
June 25
As to the Sáhib’s reference to the kings, they are indeed
the manifestations of the name of God “the Almighty” and the revealers of His
name “the All-Powerful”. The vesture that beseemeth their glorious temples is
justice. Should they become adorned therewith, mankind will partake of perfect
tranquillity and infinite blessings. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity,
Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
June 24
That the term “sun” hath been applied to the leaders of
religion is due to their lofty position, their fame, and renown. Such are the
universally recognized divines of every age, who speak with authority, and
whose fame is securely established. If they be in the likeness of the Sun of
Truth, they will surely be accounted as the most exalted of all luminaries;
otherwise, they are to be recognized as the focal centres of hellish fire. Even
as He saith: “Verily, the sun and the moon are both condemned to the torment of
infernal fire.” [Qur’án 55:5] ...And whosoever is of the element of this “sun” and “moon”, that
is, followeth the example of these leaders in setting his face towards
falsehood and in turning away from the truth he undoubtedly cometh out of
infernal gloom and returneth thereunto. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
June 23
Religious principles have various degrees and stations. The
root of all principles and the cornerstone of all foundations hath ever been,
and shall remain, the recognition of God. And these days are indeed the vernal
season of the recognition of the All-Merciful. Whatsoever proceedeth in this
day from the Repository of His Cause and the Manifestation of His Self is, in
truth, the fundamental principle unto which all must bear allegiance. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other
Writings’)
June 22
This servant appealeth to every diligent and enterprising
soul to exert his utmost endeavour and arise to rehabilitate the conditions in
all regions and to quicken the dead with the living waters of wisdom and
utterance, by virtue of the love he cherisheth for God, the One, the Peerless,
the Almighty, the Beneficent. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed
after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’; compilation ‘Unlocking the Power of Action’, prepared
by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
June 21
Say: O bearer of My Name! Upon thee be My glory and My
loving-kindness. Thou hast ever been adorned with the fair robe of
trustworthiness and piety. These twin qualities are as two companions for thee
in whom thou mayest find solace. They are as two sentinels who shall stand
watch over thee, and two guardians that shall, by God's leave, keep thee from
harm. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, Trustworthiness)
June 20
The one true God, exalted be His glory, hath bestowed the
government of the earth upon the kings. To none is given the right to act in
any manner that would run counter to the considered views of them who are in
authority. That which He hath reserved for Himself are the cities of men’s
hearts; and of these the loved ones of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth are, in
this Day, as the keys. Please God they may, one and all, be enabled to unlock,
through the power of the Most Great Name, the gates of
these cities. This is what is meant by aiding the one true God—a theme to which
the Pen of Him Who causeth the dawn to break hath referred in all His Books and
Tablets. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
June 19
The purpose of learning should be the
promotion of the welfare of the people, and this can be achieved through
crafts. It hath been revealed and is now repeated that the true worth of
artists and craftsmen should be appreciated, for they advance the affairs of
mankind. Just as the foundations of religion are made firm through the Law of
God, the means of livelihood depend upon those who are engaged in arts and
crafts. True learning is that which is conducive to the well-being of the
world, not to pride and self-conceit, or to tyranny, violence and pillage. (Bahá'u'lláh, The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. III, Social and Economic Development)
June 18
Beseech ye God -- magnified be His glory -- to grant that
His loved ones may be privileged to take a portion from the ocean of His
good-pleasure, for this would serve as the means for the salvation of mankind,
and may of their own accordance carry out that which would purify them and
cause them to attain everlasting life ... (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of
Compilation, vol. I, Huqúqu'lláh)
June 17
Place not thy reliance on thy treasures. Put thy whole
confidence in the grace of God, thy Lord. Let Him be thy trust in whatever thou
doest, and be of them that have submitted themselves to His Will. Let Him be thy helper and enrich thyself with His
treasures, for with Him are the treasuries of the heavens and of the earth. He
bestoweth them upon whom He will, and from whom He will He withholdeth them.
There is none other God but Him, the All-Possessing, the All-Praised. All are
but paupers at the door of His mercy; all are helpless before the revelation of
His sovereignty, and beseech His favors. (Baha’u’llah, excerpt from a Tablet to
Sultan Abdu’l-Aziz, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
June 16
…Thou art the one God, the Incomparable, Whose help is
implored by all men. From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to describe
Thee, and wilt abide for ever the same with no one else to equal or rival Thee.
Were the existence of any co-equal with Thee to be recognized, how could it
then be maintained that Thou art the Incomparable, or that Thy Godhead is
immeasurably exalted above all peers or likeness? The contemplation of the
highest minds that have recognized Thy unity failed to attain unto the
comprehension of the One Thou hast created through the word of Thy commandment,
how much more must it be powerless to soar into the atmosphere of the knowledge
of Thine own Being. Every praise which any tongue or pen can recount, every
imagination which any heart can devise, is debarred from the station which Thy
most exalted Pen hath ordained, how much more must it fall short of the heights
which Thou hast Thyself immensely exalted above the conception and the
description of any creature. For the attempt of the evanescent to conceive the
signs of the Uncreated is as the stirring of the drop before the tumult of Thy
billowing oceans. Nay, forbid it, O my God, that I should thus venture to
describe Thee, for every similitude and comparison must pertain to what is
essentially created by Thee. How can then such similitude and comparison ever
befit Thee, or reach up unto Thy Self? (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations
by Baha’u’llah’)
June 15
O Pen of Eternity!
Grieve not at the things that have befallen Thee, for erelong shall God
raise up a people who will see with their own eyes and will recall Thy
tribulations. Withhold Thy pen from the
mention of Thine enemies, and bestir it in the praise of the Eternal King. Renounce all created things, and quaff the
sealed wine of My remembrance. Beware
lest Thou become occupied with the mention of those from whom naught save the
noisome savours of enmity can be perceived, those who are so enslaved by their
lust for leadership that they would not hesitate to destroy themselves in their
desire to emblazon their fame and perpetuate their names. God hath recorded such souls in the Preserved
Tablet as mere worshippers of names. Recount then that which Thou hast purposed for this Temple, that its
signs and tokens may be made manifest upon earth, and that the brightness of
this Light may illumine the horizons of the world and cleanse the earth from
the defilement of those who have disbelieved in God. Thus have We set down the verses of God and
made plain the matter unto those who understand. (Baha’u’llah, Súriy-i-Haykal,
‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)
June 14
By God besides Whom is none other God!
Should any one arise for the triumph of our Cause, him will God render
victorious though tens of thousands of enemies be leagued against him. And if
his love for Me wax stronger, God will establish his ascendancy over all the
powers of earth and heaven. Thus have We breathed the spirit of power into all
regions. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh; The Compilation of Compilations, vol.
II, The Power of Divine Assistance)
June 13
O thou who art standing before My Throne and yet remain
unaware thereof! Know thou that whoso seeketh to scale the summits of the
divine mysteries must needs strive to the utmost of his power and capacity for
his Faith, that the pathway of guidance may be made clear unto him. And should
he encounter One Who layeth claim to a Cause from God, and Who holdeth from His
Lord a testimony beyond the power of men to produce, he must needs follow Him
in all that He pleaseth to proclaim, command and ordain, even were He to decree
the sea to be land, or to pronounce earth to be heaven, or that the former
lieth above the latter or below it, or to ordain any change or transformation,
for He, verily, is aware of the celestial mysteries, the unseen subtleties, and
the ordinances of God. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
June 12
One who performeth neither good deeds nor acts of worship is
like unto a tree which beareth no fruit, and an action which leaveth no trace.
Whosoever experienceth the holy ecstasy of worship will refuse to barter such
an act or any praise of God for all that existeth in the world. Fasting and obligatory
prayer are as two wings to man's life. Blessed be the one who soareth with
their aid in the heaven of the love of God, the Lord of all worlds.
(Baha’u’llah, compilation ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting,’
prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
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