102
Sources: Gems Of Divine MysteriesWere We to recount the mysteries of this city, the dominions of the
hearts of men would be laid to waste in the intensity of their longing for
this mighty station. For this is the station wherein the effulgent glories
of the Beloved are revealed to the sincere lover and the resplendent
lights of the Friend are cast upon the severed heart that is devoted to
Him.
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O My Lord! Make Thy Beauty To Be My Food, And
O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwe... Praise Be To Thee, O Lord My God! Thou Beholdest
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest what the tongue of no one except Thee can utter, and bearest witness unto things which no mouth can recount. The floods of afflictions are let loose, and the winds of Thy judgment have blown, and fr... Praise Be Unto Thee, O My God! I Am One Of Thy
Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy... Whoso Wisheth To Pray, Let Him Wash
_Whoso wisheth to pray, let him wash his hands, and while he washeth, let him say:_ Strengthen my hand, O my God, that it may take hold of Thy Book with such steadfastness that the hosts of the world shall have no... 'abdu'l-hamid's Committee
One year before 'Abdu'l-Hamid was dethroned, he sent an extremely overbearing, treacherous and insulting committee of investigation. The chairman was one of the governor's staff, Arif Bey, and with him were three army commanders varying in rank. ... 1
O thou who treadest the path of justice and beholdest the countenance of mercy! Thine epistle was received, thy question was noted, and the sweet accents of thy soul were heard from the inmost chambers of thy heart. Whereupon the clouds of the Divine... 1 The Sweet-smelling Savour Of My Garment #4
This is an allusion to the story of Joseph in the Qur'an and the Old Testament, in which Joseph's garment, brought by his brothers to Jacob, their father, enabled Jacob to identify his beloved long-lost son. The metaphor of the fragrant garment is... 10
And in the third Gospel, according to Luke, it is recorded: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; and the powers of heaven shall be... 10 Cheniston Gardens London W
The subjoined notes are taken from The Quarterly Record of 'Higher Thought' Work, November 1911. One of the most interesting and significant events which have taken place, has been the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to London. The Persian Mage ... 10 The Prayer For The Dead #8
The Prayer for the Dead (see Some Texts Supplementary to the Kitab-i-Aqdas) is the only Baha'i obligatory prayer which is to be recited in congregation; it is to be recited by one believer while all present stand in silence (see note 19).... 100
In this valley the wayfarers stray and perish ere they attain their final abode. Gracious God! So immense is this valley, so vast this city in the kingdom of creation, that it seemeth to have neither beginning nor end. How great the blessedness of hi... 100 Should Resentment Or Antipathy Arise Between Husband And Wife
he is not to divorce her but to bide in patience throughout the course of one whole year 68 Divorce is strongly condemned in the Baha'i Teachings. If, however, antipathy or resentment develop between the marriage partners, divorce is permissib... 101
And should the servant ascend to even loftier heights, quit this mortal world of dust, and seek to ascend unto the celestial abode, he will then pass from this city into the City of Absolute Nothingness, that is, of dying to self and living in God. I... 101 The Lord Hath Prohibited
the practice to which ye formerly had recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman. 68 This relates to a law of Islam set out in the Qur'an which decreed that under certain conditions a man could not remarry his divorced wife unless she had mar... 102
Were We to recount the mysteries of this city, the dominions of the hearts of men would be laid to waste in the intensity of their longing for this mighty station. For this is the station wherein the effulgent glories of the Beloved are revealed to t... 102 He Who Hath Divorced His Wife May Choose Upon The Passing Of Each Month
to remarry her when there is mutual affection and consent, so long as she hath not taken another husband ... unless, clearly, her circumstances change. 68 Shoghi Effendi states, in a letter written on his behalf, that the intention of the passi... 103
How can a true lover continue to exist when once the effulgent glories of the Beloved are revealed? How can the shadow endure when once the sun hath shone forth? How can a devoted heart have any being before the existence of the Object of its devotio... 103 Semen Is Not Unclean # 74
In a number of religious traditions and in Shi'ih Muslim practice semen has been declared ritually unclean. Baha'u'llah has here dispelled this concept. See also note 106 below. ... 104
Gracious God! But for fear of the Nimrod of tyranny and for the protection of the Abraham of justice, I would reveal unto thee that which, wert thou to abandon self and desire, would enable thee to dispense with aught else and to draw nigh unto this ... 104 Cleave Ye Unto The Cord Of Refinement #74
'Abdu'l-Baha refers to the effect of purity and holiness, cleanliness and refinement on the exaltation of the human condition and the development of man's inner reality. He states: The fact of having a pure and spotless body exercises an influence... 105
From this most august and exalted station, and from this most sublime and glorious plane, the seeker entereth the City of Immortality, therein to abide forever. In this station he beholdeth himself established upon the throne of independence and the ... 105 Wash Ye Every Soiled Thing With Water That Hath Undergone No Alteration In Any One Of The Three Respects #74
The three respects referred to in this verse are changes in the colour, taste or smell of the water. Baha'u'llah provides additional guidance concerning pure water and the point at which it is considered unsuitable for use (Q and A 91). ... 106
Having, in this journey, immersed himself in the ocean of immortality, rid his heart from attachment to aught save Him, and attained unto the loftiest heights of everlasting life, the seeker will see no annihilation either for himself or for any othe... 106 God Hath Abolished The Concept Of Uncleanness Whereby Divers Things And Peoples Have Been Held To Be Impure #75
The concept of ritual uncleanness, as understood and practised in some tribal societies and in the religious communities of certain earlier Dispensations, has been abolished by Baha'u'llah. He states that through His Revelation all created things ... 107
All that existeth in this city shall indeed endure and will never perish. Shouldst thou, by the leave of God, enter this sublime and exalted garden, thou wouldst find its sun in its noontide glory, never to set, never to be eclipsed. The same holdeth... 107 First Day Of Ridvan #75
This is a reference to the arrival of Baha'u'llah and His companions in the Najibiyyih Garden outside the city of Baghdad, subsequently referred to by the Baha'is as the Garden of Ridvan. This event, which took place thirty-one days after... 108
Erelong shall the faithful behold, in the day of the latter Resurrection, Him Whom God shall make manifest descending with this city from the heaven of the Unseen, together with a company of His exalted and favoured angels. Great, therefore, is the b... 108 The Bayan #77
The Bayan, the Mother Book of the Babi Dispensation, is the title given by the Bab to His Book of Laws, and it is also applied to the entire body of His Writings. The Persian Bayan is the major doctrinal work and principal repository of t...