September 22
Lament not in your hours of trial, neither rejoice therein;
seek ye the Middle Way which is the remembrance of Me in your afflictions and
reflection over that which may befall you in future. Thus informeth you He Who
is the Omniscient, He Who is aware. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
September 21
Say, O peoples of the world! Do ye dispute with Me about God
by virtue of the names which ye and your fathers have adopted for Him at the
promptings of the Evil One? [Qur’án 7:69; 12:40] God hath indeed sent down this
Book unto Me with truth that ye may be enabled to recognize the true names of
God, inasmuch as ye have strayed in error far from the Truth. Verily We have
taken a covenant from every created thing upon its coming into being concerning
the Remembrance of God, and there shall be none to avert the binding command of
God for the purification of mankind, as ordained in the Book which is written
by the hand of the Báb. (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections
from the Writings of the Báb)
September 20
O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor,
treat him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every
one of you was created of a sorry germ. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
September 19
O people of Bahá! Subdue the citadels of men’s hearts with
the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their
desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is
hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but
understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and
conquer, then, with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded
themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen
of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward. If ye
become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal
your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace abounding. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Epistle to the Son of the
Wolf’)
September 18
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Darkness hath fallen upon
every land, and the forces of mischief have encompassed all the nations.
Through them, however, I perceive the splendors of Thy wisdom, and discern the
brightness of the light of Thy providence.
They that are shut out as by a veil from Thee have imagined that they have the power to put out Thy light, and to quench Thy fire, and to still the winds of Thy grace. Nay, and to this Thy might beareth me witness! Had not every tribulation been made the bearer of Thy wisdom, and every ordeal the vehicle of Thy providence, no one would have dared oppose us, though the powers of earth and heaven were to be leagued against us. Were I to unravel the wondrous mysteries of Thy wisdom which are laid bare before me, the reins of Thine enemies would be cleft asunder. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
They that are shut out as by a veil from Thee have imagined that they have the power to put out Thy light, and to quench Thy fire, and to still the winds of Thy grace. Nay, and to this Thy might beareth me witness! Had not every tribulation been made the bearer of Thy wisdom, and every ordeal the vehicle of Thy providence, no one would have dared oppose us, though the powers of earth and heaven were to be leagued against us. Were I to unravel the wondrous mysteries of Thy wisdom which are laid bare before me, the reins of Thine enemies would be cleft asunder. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
September 17
When once the seeker hath ascended unto this station, he
will enter the City of Love and Rapture, whereupon the winds of love will blow
and the breezes of the spirit will waft. In this station the seeker is so
overcome by the ecstasies of yearning and the fragrances of longing that he
discerneth not his left from his right, nor doth he distinguish land from sea
or desert from mountain. At every moment he burneth with the fire of longing and
is consumed by the onslaught of separation in this world. He
speedeth through the Párán of love and traverseth the Horeb of rapture. Now he
laugheth, now he weepeth sore; now he reposeth in peace, now he trembleth in
fear. Nothing can alarm him, naught can thwart his purpose, and no law can
restrain him. He standeth ready to obey whatsoever His Lord should please to
decree as to his beginning and his end. With every breath he layeth down his
life and offereth up his soul. He bareth his breast to meet the darts of the
enemy and raiseth his head to greet the sword of destiny; nay rather, he
kisseth the hand of his would-be murderer and surrendereth his all. He yieldeth
up spirit, soul, and body in the path of his Lord, and yet he doeth so by the
leave of his Beloved and not of his own whim and desire. Thou findest him chill
in the fire and dry in the sea, abiding in every land and treading every path.
Whosoever toucheth him in this state will perceive the heat of his love. He
walketh the heights of detachment and traverseth the vale of renunciation. His
eyes are ever expectant to witness the wonders of God’s mercy and eager to
behold the splendours of His beauty. Blessed indeed are they that have attained
unto such a station, for this is the station of the ardent lovers and the
enraptured souls. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
September 16
O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that
yearn after Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to
Thy will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy
court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy
truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face, Whose
voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are as the
waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!
I beseech Thee, by the wrong Thou hast suffered and the ills
inflicted upon Thee by the hosts of wrongful doers, to send down upon me from
the clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me of all that is not of Thee,
that I may be worthy to praise Thee and fit to love Thee. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
September 15
In this journey [in the Garden of Search] the seeker
becometh witness to a myriad changes and transformations, confluences and
divergences. He beholdeth the wonders of Divinity in the mysteries of creation
and discovereth the paths of guidance and the ways of His Lord. Such is the
station reached by them that search after God, and such are the heights
attained by those who hasten unto Him. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine
Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
September 14
O peoples of the earth! Verily His Remembrance is come to
you from God after an interval during which there were no Messengers, [cf.
Qur’án 5:22] that He may purge and purify you from uncleanliness in
anticipation of the Day of the One true God; therefore seek ye wholeheartedly
divine blessings from Him, inasmuch as We have, in truth, chosen Him to be the
Witness and the Source of wisdom unto all that dwell on earth... (The Báb,
excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
September 13
And now, comprehend the meaning of this verse: “The whole
earth shall on the Resurrection Day be but His handful, and in His right hand
shall the heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted
above the partners they join with him!” [Qur’án 39:67] And now, be fair in thy
judgment. Were this verse to have the meaning which men suppose it to have, of
what profit, one may ask, could it be to man? Moreover, it is evident and
manifest that no such hand as could be seen by human eye could accomplish such
deeds, or could possibly be ascribed to the exalted Essence of the one true
God. Nay, to acknowledge such a thing is naught but sheer blasphemy, an utter
perversion of the truth. And should it be supposed that by this verse are meant
the Manifestations of God, Who will be called upon, on the Day of Judgment, to
perform such deeds, this too seemeth far from the truth, and is surely of no
profit. On the contrary, by the term “earth” is meant the earth of
understanding and knowledge, and by “heavens” the heavens of divine Revelation.
Reflect thou, how, in one hand, He hath, by His mighty grasp, turned the earth
of knowledge and understanding, previously unfolded, into a mere handful, and,
on the other, spread out a new and highly exalted earth in the hearts of men,
thus causing the freshest and loveliest blossoms, and the mightiest and
loftiest trees to spring forth from the illumined bosom of man. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
September 12
They that are just and fair-minded in their judgement occupy
a sublime station and hold an exalted rank. The light of piety and uprightness
shineth resplendent from these souls. We earnestly hope that the peoples and
countries of the world may not be deprived of the splendours of these two
luminaries. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the
Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
September 11
O people of the earth! Verily the resplendent Light of God
hath appeared in your midst, invested with this unerring Book, that ye may be
guided aright to the ways of peace and, by the leave of God, step out of the
darkness into the light and onto this far-extended Path of Truth [Qur’án
5:15–18]... (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma,
‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
September 10
O Pen! Send down out
of the clouds of Thy generosity that which shall enrich all created things, and
withhold not Thy favours from the world of being. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful in the
heaven of Thine eternity, and the Lord of infinite grace unto all who inhabit
the kingdom of names. Look not upon the
people and the things they possess; look rather upon the wonders of Thy gifts
and favours. Gather then Thy servants
beneath Thy shade that shadoweth all mankind.
Stretch forth the hand of bounty over all creation, and the fingers of
bestowal over all existence. This,
verily, is that which beseemeth Thee, though the people understand it not. Whosoever turneth his face towards Thee doeth
so by Thy grace, and as to him who turneth away, Thy Lord, in truth, is
independent of all created things. Unto
this bear witness His true and devoted servants. (Baha'u'llah, Suriy-i-Haykal,
The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
September 9
The breeze of the bounty of the King of creation hath caused
even the physical earth to be changed, were ye to ponder in your hearts the
mysteries of divine Revelation. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
September 8
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, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
September 7
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the cord of Thy
loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou ordain
for me and for my loved ones the good of this world and of the world to come.
Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou didst ordain for the choicest
among Thy creatures. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)
September 6
O people of the earth! To attain the ultimate retreat in
God, the True One, are we to seek a Gate other than this exalted Being?...
When God created the Remembrance He presented Him to the
assemblage of all created beings upon the altar of His Will. Thereupon the
concourse of the angels bowed low in adoration to God, the Peerless, the
Incomparable; while Satan waxed proud, refusing to submit to His Remembrance;
hence he is identified in the Book of God as the arrogant one and the accursed.
[Qur’án 2:32; 38:74–78] (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections
from the Writings of the Báb)
September 5
It is clear to thine Eminence that all the variations which
the wayfarer in the stages of his journey beholdeth in the realms of being,
proceed from his own vision. We shall give an example of this, that its meaning
may become fully clear: Consider the visible sun; although it shineth with one
radiance upon all things, and at the behest of the King of Manifestation
bestoweth light on all creation, yet in each place it becometh manifest and
sheddeth its bounty according to the potentialities of that place. For
instance, in a mirror it reflecteth its own disk and shape, and this is due to
the sensitivity of the mirror; in a crystal it maketh fire to appear, and in
other things it showeth only the effect of its shining, but not its full disk.
And yet, through that effect, by the command of the Creator, it traineth each
thing according to the quality of that thing, as thou observest.
In like manner, colors become visible in every object
according to the nature of that object. For instance, in a yellow globe, the
rays shine yellow; in a white the rays are white; and in a red, the red rays
are manifest. Then these variations are from the object, not from the shining
light. And if a place be shut away from the light, as by walls or a roof, it
will be entirely bereft of the splendor of the light, nor will the sun shine
thereon. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven Valleys’)
September 4
“Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live
in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements”. For this
day is the Lord of all days, and whatsoever hath been revealed therein by the
Source of divine Revelation is the truth and the essence of all principles.
This day may be likened to a sea and all other days to gulfs and channels that
have branched therefrom. That which is uttered and revealed in this day is the
foundation, and is accounted as the Mother Book and the Source of all
utterance. Although every day is associated with God, magnified be His glory,
yet these days have been singled out and adorned with the ornament of intimate
association with Him, for they have been extolled in the books of the Chosen
Ones of God, as well as of some of His Prophets, as the “Day of God”. In a
sense this day and that which appeareth therein are to be regarded as the
primary principles, while all other days and whatsoever appeareth in them are
to be viewed as the secondary ordinances deduced therefrom, and which as such
are subordinate and relative. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Tabernacle of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh’s
Responses to Mánikchí Sáhib and Other Writings’)
September 3
It beseemeth you to fix your gaze under all conditions upon
justice and fairness. In The Hidden Words this exalted utterance hath been
revealed from Our Most August Pen:
‘O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest
Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see
with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine
own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in
thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and
the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.’ (Baha’u’llah,
‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
September 2
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every man of insight
confesseth Thy sovereignty and Thy dominion, and every discerning eye
perceiveth the greatness of Thy majesty and the compelling power of Thy might.
The winds of tests are powerless to hold back them that enjoy near access to
Thee from setting their faces towards the horizon of Thy glory, and the
tempests of trials must fail to draw away and hinder such as are wholly devoted
to Thy will from approaching Thy court. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Prayers and Meditations
by Baha’u’llah’)
September 1
O SON OF THE WONDROUS VISION! I have breathed within thee a
breath of My own Spirit, that thou mayest be My lover. Why hast thou forsaken
Me and sought a beloved other than Me? (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Hidden Words of
Baha’u’llah’)
August 31
Deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbor.
Be ye trustworthy on earth, and withhold not from the
poor the things given unto you by God through His grace. He, verily, will
bestow upon you the double of what ye possess. He, in truth, is the
All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)
August 30
Truly, none must be careless in the matter of safeguarding
the divine Tablets. In former times, when plans were laid to seize some of the
friends, before all else it was the writings that fell into the hands of the
enemy. This is not permissible. The friends should designate a strong, secure
place for storing the divine verses so that they may not be exposed to the
touch of unworthy hands, even though these verses are, and shall always be,
such as ‘none shall touch but the purified' [Qur'án 79:56] (Baha’u’llah,
compilation ‘Importance of collecting and safeguarding Baha’i Writings’,
prepared by Baha’i International Archives; published in Baha’i Studies Review,
no. 11, 2003)
August 29
O Living Temple! We
have, in very truth, appointed Thee to be the sign of My majesty amidst all
that hath been and all that shall be, and have ordained Thee to be the emblem
of My Cause betwixt the heavens and the earth, through My word “Be”, and it is!
(Baha'u'llah, Suriy-i-Haykal, 'The Summons of the Lord of Hosts')
August 28
We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of
your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy
Us. To this beareth witness every man of true understanding. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’)
August 27
In like manner, strive thou to comprehend from these lucid,
these powerful, conclusive, and unequivocal statements the meaning of the
“cleaving of the heaven”—one of the signs that must needs herald the coming of
the last Hour, the Day of Resurrection. As He hath said: “When the heaven shall
be cloven asunder.” [Qur’án 82:1] By “heaven” is meant the heaven of divine
Revelation, which is elevated with every Manifestation, and rent asunder with
every subsequent one. By “cloven asunder” is meant that the former Dispensation
is superseded and annulled. I swear by God! That this heaven being cloven
asunder is, to the discerning, an act mightier than the cleaving of the skies!
Ponder a while. That a divine Revelation which for years hath been securely
established; beneath whose shadow all who have embraced it have been reared and
nurtured; by the light of whose law generations of men have been disciplined;
the excellency of whose word men have heard recounted by their fathers; in such
wise that human eye hath beheld naught but the pervading influence of its
grace, and mortal ear hath heard naught but the resounding majesty of its
command—what act is mightier than that such a Revelation should, by the power
of God, be “cloven asunder” and be abolished at the appearance of one soul?
Reflect, is this a mightier act than that which these abject and foolish men
have imagined the “cleaving of the heaven” to mean? (Baha’u’llah, ‘The
Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 26
It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a
source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind.
Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him
Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as
a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the
Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me
standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name's
sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love
to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of
My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness
and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; compilation ‘Unlocking the Power of
Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
August 25
Therefore, hath it been said: “Knowledge is a light which
God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth.” It is this kind of
knowledge which is and hath ever been praiseworthy, and not the limited
knowledge that hath sprung forth from veiled and obscured minds. This limited
knowledge they even stealthily borrow one from the other, and vainly pride
themselves therein! (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 24
Every discerning observer will recognize that in the
Dispensation of the Qur’án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed.
As to the matter of names, Muhammad, Himself, declared: “I am Jesus.” He
recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and
testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus
nor His writings hath differed from that of Muhammad and of His holy Book,
inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and
revealed His commandments. Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away
and come again unto you.” (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah’)
August 23
Know thou, that upon whatever hearts the bountiful showers
of mercy, raining from the “heaven” of divine Revelation, have fallen, the
earth of those hearts hath verily been changed into the earth of divine
knowledge and wisdom. What myrtles of unity hath the soil of their hearts
produced! What blossoms of true knowledge and wisdom hath their illumined
bosoms yielded! Were the earth of their hearts to remain unchanged, how could
such souls who have not been taught one letter, have seen no teacher, and
entered no school, utter such words and display such knowledge as none can
apprehend? Methinks they have been moulded from the clay of infinite knowledge,
and kneaded with the water of divine wisdom. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 22
And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of
Jesus, shining forth from the Day Spring of the Spirit, encompassed the world,
all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamored that He
Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws
of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the
divine Messiah, had annulled the laws of divorce and of the sabbath day—the
most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the
Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day
still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many
Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have
appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of
satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own
handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived!
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
August 21
…consider the hardships and the bitterness of the lives of
those Revealers of the divine Beauty. Reflect, how single-handed and alone they
faced the world and all its peoples, and promulgated the Law of God! No matter
how severe the persecutions inflicted upon those holy, those precious, and
tender Souls, they still remained, in the plenitude of their power, patient,
and, despite their ascendancy, they suffered and endured. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The
Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 20
Would that the hearts of men could be cleansed from these
man-made limitations and obscure thoughts imposed upon them! haply they may be
illumined by the light of the Sun of true knowledge, and comprehend the
mysteries of divine wisdom. Consider now, were the parched and barren soil of
these hearts to remain unchanged, how could they ever become the Recipients of
the revelation of the mysteries of God, and the Revealers of the divine
Essence? Thus hath He said: “On the day when the earth shall be changed into
another earth.” [Qur’án 14:48] (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 19
Erelong shall God draw forth, out of the bosom of power, the
hands of ascendancy and might, and shall raise up a people who will arise to
win victory for this Youth and who will purge mankind from the defilement of
the outcast and the ungodly. These hands
will gird up their loins to champion the Faith of God, and will, in My name the
Self-Subsistent, the Mighty, subdue the peoples and kindreds of the earth. They will enter the cities and will inspire
with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants.
Such are the evidences of the might of God; how fearful, how vehement is
His might, and how justly doth He wield it!
He, verily, ruleth and transcendeth all who are in the heavens and on
the earth, and revealeth what He desireth according to a prescribed measure. (Baha'u'llah,
Suriy-i-Haykal, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
August 18
After passing through the Valley of Knowledge, which is the
last plane of limitation, the wayfarer cometh to the Valley of Unity and
drinketh from the cup of the Absolute, and gazeth on the Manifestations of
Oneness. In this station he pierceth the veils of plurality, fleeth from the
worlds of the flesh, and ascendeth into the heaven of singleness. With the ear
of God he heareth, with the eye of God he beholdeth the mysteries of divine
creation. He steppeth into the sanctuary of the Friend, and shareth as an
intimate the pavilion of the Loved One. He stretcheth out the hand of truth
from the sleeve of the Absolute; he revealeth the secrets of power. He seeth in
himself neither name nor fame nor rank, but findeth his own praise in praising
God. He beholdeth in his own name the name of God; to him, “all songs are from
the King,” [The Mathnaví] and every melody from Him. He sitteth on the
throne of “Say, all is from God,” [Qur’án 4:80]and taketh his rest on the
carpet of “There is no power or might but in God.” [Qur’án 18:37] He looketh on
all things with the eye of oneness, and seeth the brilliant rays of the divine
sun shining from the dawning-point of Essence alike on all created things, and
the lights of singleness reflected over all creation. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Seven
Valleys’)
August 17
I swear by Him Who hath caused Me to reveal whatever hath
pleased Him! Ye are better known to the inmates of the Kingdom on high than ye
are known to your own selves. Think ye these words to be vain and empty? Would
that ye had the power to perceive the things your Lord, the All-Merciful, doth
see—things that attest the excellence of your rank, that bear witness to the
greatness of your worth, that proclaim the sublimity of your station! God grant
that your desires and unmortified passions may not hinder you from that which
hath been ordained for you. (Baha'u'llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha'u'llah’)
August 16
The second Taráz is to consort with the followers of all
religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which
the Speaker on Sinai hath set forth and to observe
fairness in all matters. (Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after
the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
August 15
The Word of God hath set the heart of the world afire; how
regrettable if ye fail to be enkindled with its flame! Please God, ye will
regard this blessed night as the night of unity, will knit your souls together,
and resolve to adorn yourselves with the ornament of a goodly and praiseworthy
character. Let your principal concern be to rescue the fallen from the slough
of impending extinction, and to help him embrace the ancient Faith of God. Your
behavior towards your neighbor should be such as to manifest clearly the signs
of the one true God, for ye are the first among men to be re-created by His
Spirit, the first to adore and bow the knee before Him, the first to circle
round His throne of glory. (Baha'u'llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha'u'llah’)
August 14
This is the Day when the loved ones of God should keep their
eyes directed towards His Manifestation, and fasten them upon whatsoever that
Manifestation may be pleased to reveal. Certain traditions of bygone ages rest
on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by past generations,
and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been
influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. Thou dost witness how most
of the commentaries and interpretations of the words of God, now current
amongst men, are devoid of truth. Their falsity hath, in some cases, been
exposed when the intervening veils were rent asunder.
They themselves have acknowledged their failure in apprehending the meaning of
any of the words of God. (‘Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)
August 13
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the Message of
Him Who hath caused the Dawn of Divine Guidance to break. Consider, how the
wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of
the earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor
the evidences of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth in every
direction, as bidden by its Creator. So should be every one that claimeth to be
a lover of the one true God. It behoveth him to fix his gaze upon the
fundamentals of His Faith, and to labor diligently for its propagation.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; compilation
‘Unlocking the Power of Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the
Universal House of Justice)
August 12
They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should
associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance,
inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote
unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in
the world and to the regeneration of nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to
the cord of kindliness and tender mercy and are free from animosity and hatred.
(Baha’u’llah, ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
August 11
The third Taráz concerneth good character. A good character
is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples
of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the
light of the sun and the radiance thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted
as a jewel among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs
depend upon it. A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to the
Straight Path and are led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is
adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the Concourse on High. (Baha’u’llah,
‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas')
August 10
Verily, Christ is Our Word which We communicated unto Mary; [cf.
Qur’án 4:169] and let no one say what the Christians term as
‘the third of three’, [Qur’án 5:77] inasmuch as it would amount to slandering
the Remembrance Who, as decreed in the Mother Book, is invested with supreme
authority. Indeed God is but one God, and far be it from His glory that there
should be aught else besides Him. All those who shall attain unto Him on the
Day of Resurrection are but His servants, and God is, of a truth, a sufficient
Protector. Verily I am none other but the servant of God and His Word, and none
but the first one to bow down in supplication before God, the Most Exalted; and
indeed God witnesseth all things. (The Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma,
‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
August 9
O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth
not; wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall
never be extinguished; why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My
glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide
then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)
August 8
Say: Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight they are
yours, tomorrow others will possess them. Thus warneth you He Who is the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: Can ye claim that what ye own is lasting or
secure? Nay! By Myself, the All-Merciful, ye cannot, if ye be of them who judge
fairly. The days of your life flee away as a breath of wind, and all your pomp
and glory shall be folded up as were the pomp and glory of those gone before
you. Reflect, O people! What hath become of your bygone days, your lost
centuries? Happy the days that have been consecrated to the remembrance of God,
and blessed the hours which have been spent in praise of Him Who is the
All-Wise. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
August 7
In another sense, by the terms ‘sun’, ‘moon’, and ‘stars’
are meant such laws and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in
every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting. These have,
according to the law of the Qur’án, been regarded, when the beauty of the
Prophet Muhammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental and
binding laws of His dispensation. To this testify the texts of the traditions
and chronicles, which, on account of their being widely known,
need not be referred to here. Nay rather, in every Dispensation the law concerning
prayer hath been emphasized and universally enforced. To this testify the
recorded traditions ascribed to the lights that have emanated from the Day-star
of Truth, the essence of the Prophet Muhammad. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
August 6
By My life! Neither the pomp of the mighty, nor the wealth
of the rich, nor even the ascendancy of the ungodly will endure. All will
perish, at a word from Him. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the
All-Compelling, the Almighty. What advantage is there in the earthly things
which men possess? That which shall profit them, they have utterly neglected.
Erelong, they will awake from their slumber, and find themselves unable to
obtain that which hath escaped them in the days of their Lord, the Almighty,
the All-Praised. Did they but know it, they would renounce their all, that
their names may be mentioned before His throne. They, verily, are accounted
among the dead. (Baha’u’llah, ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
August 5
By My glory! I will make the infidels to taste, with the
hands of My power, retributions unknown of any one except Me, and will waft
over the faithful those musk-scented breaths which I have nursed in the midmost
heart of My throne; and verily the knowledge of God embraceth all things. (The
Báb, excerpts from the Qayyumu’l-Asma, ‘Selections from the Writings of the
Báb)
August 4
…it is Our wish to disclose unto thee certain stations in
the wayfarer’s journey towards his Creator. Perchance all that thine eminence
hath desired may be revealed unto thee, that the proof may be made complete and
the blessing abundant.
Know thou of a truth that the seeker must, at the beginning of his quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In this journey it behoveth the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God and to close his eyes to all that is in the heavens and on the earth. There must not linger in his heart either the hate or the love of any soul, to the extent that they would hinder him from attaining the habitation of the celestial Beauty. He must sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain from boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other gifts as God may have bestowed upon him. He must search after the truth to the utmost of his ability and exertion, that God may guide him in the paths of His favour and the ways of His mercy. For He, verily, is the best of helpers unto His servants. He saith, and He verily speaketh the truth: “Whoso maketh efforts for Us, in Our ways shall We assuredly guide him.” [ Qur’án 29:69] And furthermore: “Fear God and God will give you knowledge.” (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
Know thou of a truth that the seeker must, at the beginning of his quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In this journey it behoveth the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God and to close his eyes to all that is in the heavens and on the earth. There must not linger in his heart either the hate or the love of any soul, to the extent that they would hinder him from attaining the habitation of the celestial Beauty. He must sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain from boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other gifts as God may have bestowed upon him. He must search after the truth to the utmost of his ability and exertion, that God may guide him in the paths of His favour and the ways of His mercy. For He, verily, is the best of helpers unto His servants. He saith, and He verily speaketh the truth: “Whoso maketh efforts for Us, in Our ways shall We assuredly guide him.” [ Qur’án 29:69] And furthermore: “Fear God and God will give you knowledge.” (Baha’u’llah, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Javáhiru’l-Asrár’)
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