Since Thou Hast, O My God, Established Thyself
Sources: Prayers And MeditationsSince Thou hast, O my God, established Thyself upon the throne of Thy
transcendent unity, and ascended the mercy seat of Thy oneness, it
befitteth Thee to blot out from the hearts of all beings whatsoever may
keep them back from gaining admittance into the sanctuary of Thy Divine
mysteries, and may shut them out from the tabernacle of Thy Divinity, that
all hearts may mirror Thy beauty, and may reveal Thee, and speak of Thee,
and that all created things may show forth the tokens of Thy most august
sovereignty, and shed the splendors of the light of Thy most holy
governance, and that all who are in heaven and on earth may laud and
magnify Thy unity, and give Thee glory, for having manifested Thy Self
unto them through Him Who is the Revealer of Thy oneness.
Divest, then, Thy servants, O my God, of the garments of self and desire,
or grant that the eyes of Thy people may be lifted up to such heights that
they will discern in their desires naught except the stirring of the
gentle winds of Thine eternal glory, and may recognize in their own selves
nothing but the revelation of Thine own merciful Self, that the earth and
all that is therein may be cleansed of whatever is alien to Thee, or
anything that manifesteth aught save Thy Self. All this can be fulfilled
throughout Thy dominion by Thy word of command, Be, and it is! Nay, even
swifter than this, and yet the people understand not.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Beloved! I swear by Thy
glory! I recognize this very moment that Thou hast granted all for which I
have supplicated Thee, in this blessed night which, as decreed by Thee,
calleth to remembrance Him Who was the Companion of Thy beauty and the
Beholder of Thy face, ere I had been mentioned by Thee, or called into
being within the court of Thy holiness. I perceive that Thou hast made all
things to be the manifestations of Thy behest, and the revelations of Thy
handiwork, and the repositories of Thy knowledge, and the treasuries of
Thy wisdom. I recognize, moreover, that were any of the revelations of Thy
names and Thine attributes to be withheld, though it be the weight of a
grain of mustard seed, from whatsoever hath been created by Thy power and
begotten by Thy might, the foundations of Thine everlasting handiwork
would thereby be made incomplete, and the gems of Thy Divine wisdom would
become imperfect. For the letters of negation, no matter how far they may
be removed from the holy fragrances of Thy knowledge, and however
forgetful they may become of the wondrous splendors of the dawning light
of Thy beauty, which are shed from the heaven of Thy majesty, must needs
exist in Thy realm, so that the words which affirm Thee may thereby be
exalted.
Thy might beareth me witness, O my Well-Beloved! The entire creation hath
been called into being to exalt Thy triumph and to establish Thine
ascendancy, and all the bounds that have been set by Thee are but the
signs of Thy sovereignty, and proclaim the power of Thy might. How great,
how very great, are the revelations of Thy wondrous power in all things!
They are such that the lowliest among Thy creatures hath been made by Thee
a manifestation of Thy most august attribute, and the most contemptible
token of Thy handiwork hath been chosen as a recipient of Thy most mighty
name. Poverty, as decreed by Thee, hath been made the means for the
revelation of Thy riches, and abasement a path leading to Thy glory, and
sinfulness a cause for the exercise of Thy forgiveness. By them Thou hast
demonstrated that to Thee belong Thy most excellent titles, and unto Thee
pertain the wonders of Thy most exalted attributes.
Since Thou hast purposed, O my God, to cause all created things to enter
into the tabernacle of Thy transcendent grace and favor, and to waft over
the entire creation the fragrances of the raiment of Thy glorious unity,
and to look upon all things with the eyes of Thy bounty and Thy oneness, I
beseech Thee, therefore, by Thy love, which Thou hast made to be the
mainspring of the revelations of Thine eternal holiness, and the flame
that gloweth within the hearts of such of Thy creatures as yearn towards
Thee, to create, this very moment, for those of Thy people who are wholly
devoted to Thee, and for such of Thy loved ones as love Thee, out of the
essence of Thy bounty and Thy generosity, and from the inmost spirit of
Thy grace and Thy glory, Thy Paradise of transcendent holiness, and to
exalt it above everything except Thee, and to sanctify it from aught else
save Thyself. Create, moreover, within it, O my God, out of the lights
shed by Thy throne, handmaidens who will intone the melodies of Thy
wondrous and most sweet invention, that they may magnify Thy name with
such words as have not been heard by any of Thy creatures, be they the
inmates of Thy heaven or the dwellers of Thine earth, nor been
comprehended by any of Thy people. Unlock, then, the gates of this
Paradise to the faces of Thy loved ones, that haply they may enter them in
Thy name, and by the power of Thy sovereignty, that thereby the sovereign
bounties vouchsafed by Thee unto Thy chosen ones and the transcendent
gifts granted unto Thy trusted ones be perfected, that they may extol Thy
virtues with such melodies as none can either intone or describe, and that
none of Thy people may conceive the design of appearing in the guise of
any of Thy chosen ones, or of emulating the example of Thy loved ones, and
that none may fail to discern between Thy friends and Thine enemies, or to
distinguish them that are devoted to Thee from such as stubbornly oppose
Thee. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and powerful and supreme
art Thou over all things.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, O my Beloved, above the strivings
of any of Thy creatures, however learned, to know Thee; exalted, immensely
exalted art Thou above every human attempt, no matter how searching, to
describe Thee! For the highest thought of men, however deep their
contemplation, can never hope to outsoar the limitations imposed upon Thy
creation, nor ascend beyond the state of the contingent world, nor break
the bounds irrevocably set for it by Thee. How can, then, a thing that
hath been created by Thy will that overruleth the whole of creation, a
thing that is itself a part of the contingent world, have the power to
soar into the holy atmosphere of Thy knowledge, or reach unto the seat of
Thy transcendent power?
High, immeasurably high art Thou above the endeavors of the evanescent
creature to soar unto the throne of Thine eternity, or of the poor and
wretched to attain the summit of Thine all-sufficing glory! From eternity
Thou didst Thyself describe Thine own Self unto Thy Self, and extol, in
Thine own Essence, Thine Essence unto Thine Essence. I swear by Thy glory,
O my Best-Beloved! Who is there besides Thee that can claim to know Thee,
and who save Thyself can make fitting mention of Thee? Thou art He Who,
from eternity, abode in His realm, in the glory of His transcendent unity,
and the splendors of His holy grandeur. Were any one except Thee to be
deemed worthy of mention, in all the kingdoms of Thy creation, from the
highest realms of immortality down to the level of this nether world, how
could it, then, be demonstrated that Thou art established upon the throne
of Thy unity, and how could the wondrous virtues of Thy oneness and Thy
singleness be glorified?
I bear witness, this very moment, to what Thou hast testified for Thine
own Self, ere Thou hadst created the heavens and the earth, that Thou art
God, and that there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast from
everlasting been potent, through the Manifestations of Thy might, to
reveal the signs of Thy power, and Thou hast ever made known, through the
Day-Springs of Thy knowledge, the words of Thy wisdom. No one besides Thee
hath ever been found worthy to be mentioned before the Tabernacle of Thy
unity, and none except Thyself hath proved himself capable of being
praised within the hallowed court of Thy oneness.
Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast revealed Thy favors and Thy
bounties; and glory be to Thee, O my Beloved, that Thou hast manifested
the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness and Thy tender mercies. I yield Thee
such thanks as can direct the steps of the wayward towards the splendors
of the morning light of Thy guidance, and enable those who yearn towards
Thee to attain the seat of the revelation of the effulgence of Thy beauty.
I yield Thee such thanks as can cause the sick to draw nigh unto the
waters of Thy healing, and can help those who are far from Thee to
approach the living fountain of Thy presence. I yield Thee such thanks as
can divest the bodies of Thy servants of the garments of mortality and
abasement, and attire them in the robes of Thine eternity and Thy glory,
and lead the poor unto the shores of Thy holiness and all sufficient
riches. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable the Heavenly Dove to warble
forth, upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Immortality, her song:
Verily, Thou art God. No God is there besides Thee. From eternity Thou
hast been exalted above the praise of aught else but Thee, and been high
above the description of any one except Thyself. I yield Thee such thanks
as can cause the Nightingale of Glory to pour forth its melody in the
highest heaven: 'Ali (the Bab), in truth, is Thy servant, Whom Thou hast
singled out from among Thy Messengers and Thy chosen Ones, and made Him to
be the Manifestation of Thyself in all that pertaineth unto Thee, and that
concerneth the revelation of Thine attributes and the evidences of Thy
names. I yield Thee such thanks as can stir up all things to extol Thee,
and to glorify Thine Essence, and can unloose the tongues of all beings to
magnify the sovereignty of Thy beauty. I yield Thee such thanks as can
fill the heavens and the earth with the signs of Thy transcendent Essence,
and assist all created things to enter the Tabernacle of Thy nearness and
Thy presence. I yield Thee such thanks as can make every created thing to
be a book that shall speak of Thee, and a scroll that shall unfold Thy
praise. I yield Thee such thanks as can establish the Manifestations of
Thy sovereignty upon the throne of Thy governance, and set up the
Exponents of Thy glory upon the seat of Thy Divinity. I yield Thee such
thanks as can make the corrupt tree to bring forth good fruit through the
holy breaths of Thy favors, and revive the bodies of all beings with the
gentle winds of Thy transcendent grace. I yield Thee such thanks as can
cause the signs of Thine exalted singleness to be sent down out of the
heaven of Thy holy unity. I yield Thee such thanks as can teach all things
the realities of Thy knowledge and the essence of Thy wisdom, and will not
withhold the wretched creatures from the doors of Thy mercy and Thy
bountiful favor. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable all who are in
heaven and on earth to dispense with all created things, through the
treasuries of Thine all-sufficing riches, and can aid all created things
to reach unto the summit of Thine almighty favors. I yield Thee such
thanks as can assist the hearts of Thine ardent lovers to soar into the
atmosphere of nearness to Thee, and of longing for Thee, and kindle the
Light of Lights within the land of 'Iraq. I yield Thee such thanks as can
detach them that are nigh unto Thee from all created things, and draw them
to the throne of Thy names and Thine attributes. I yield Thee such thanks
as can cause Thee to forgive all sins and trespasses, and to fulfill the
needs of the peoples of all religions, and to waft the fragrances of
pardon over the entire creation. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable
them that recognize Thy unity to scale the heights of Thy love, and cause
such as are devoted to Thee to ascend unto the Paradise of Thy presence. I
yield Thee such thanks as can satisfy the wants of all such as seek Thee,
and realize the aims of them that have recognized Thee. I yield Thee such
thanks as can blot out from the hearts of men all suggestions of
limitations, and inscribe the signs of Thy unity. I yield Thee such thanks
as that with which Thou didst from eternity glorify Thine own Self, and
didst exalt it above all peers, rivals, and comparisons, O Thou in Whose
hands are the heavens of grace and of bounty, and the kingdoms of glory
and of majesty!
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God, and my Master! Thou bearest witness,
and seest, and knowest the things that have befallen Thy loved ones in Thy
days, and the continual trials, and the successive tribulations, and the
incessant afflictions, which have been sent down upon Thine elect. Such
hath been their plight that the earth became too strait for them, and they
were encompassed by the evidences of Thy wrath and the signs of Thy fear
in every land, and the doors of Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness were
shut against them, and the garden of their hearts was deprived of the
overflowing showers of Thy grace and Thy bountiful favors. Wilt Thou
withhold, O my God, from such as love Thee the wonders of Thine ascendancy
and triumph? Wilt Thou shatter, O my Beloved, the hopes which they who are
devoted to Thee have fixed on Thy manifold bounties and gifts? Wilt Thou
keep back, O my Master, those that have recognized Thee from the shores of
Thy sanctified knowledge, or wilt Thou cease to rain down upon the hearts
of such as desire Thee the showers of Thy transcendent grace? No, no, and
to this Thy glory beareth me witness! I testify this very moment that Thy
mercy hath surpassed all created things, and Thy loving-kindness
encompassed all that are in heaven and all that are on earth. From
everlasting the doors of Thy generosity were open to the faces of Thy
servants, and the gentle winds of Thy grace were wafted over the hearts of
Thy creatures, and the overflowing rains of Thy bounty were showered upon
Thy people and the dwellers of Thy realm.
I know full well Thou hast delayed to manifest Thy triumph in the kingdom
of creation by reason of Thy knowledge which embraceth both the mysteries
of Thy decree, and the hidden things ordained behind the veils of Thine
irrevocable purpose, that thereby those who have entered beneath the
shadow of Thy transcendent mercy may be separated from those who have
dealt disdainfully with Thee, and turned back from Thy presence at the
time when Thou didst manifest Thy most exalted Beauty.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore, O my Beloved! Forasmuch
as Thou hast divided, in Thy realm, Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and
hast perfected Thy most weighty testimony and Thy most infallible Proof
unto all who are in heaven and on earth, have mercy, then, upon those who
were brought low in Thy land, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy
path. Exalt them, then, O my God, through the power of Thy might and the
potency of Thy will, and raise them up to proclaim Thy Cause through Thine
omnipotent sovereignty and purpose.
I swear by Thy glory! My sole purpose in showing forth Thine ascendancy
hath been to glorify Thy Cause, and to magnify Thy word. I am persuaded
that if Thou wert to delay to send down Thy victory and to demonstrate Thy
power, the signs of Thy sovereignty would assuredly perish in Thy land,
and the tokens of Thy rule would be blotted out throughout Thy dominion.
My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have
compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy
wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things
save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest,
and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them
by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should
any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity,
and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they
would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and
mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing
sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Master! Look, then, upon
the hearts which, in their love for Thee, have been transfixed by the
darts of Thine enemies, and the heads which were borne on spears for the
sake of the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy name.
Have pity, then, upon those hearts which have been consumed by the fire of
Thy love, and been touched by such tribulations as are known only unto
Thee.
All laud and honor to Thee, O my God! Thou well knowest the things which,
for a score of years, have happened in Thy days, and have continued to
happen until this hour. No man can reckon, nor can any tongue tell, what
hath befallen Thy chosen ones during all this time. They could obtain no
shelter, nor find any refuge in which they could abide in safety. Turn,
then, O my God, their fear into the evidences of Thy peace and Thy
security, and their abasement into the sovereignty of Thy glory, and their
poverty into Thine all-sufficient riches, and their distress into the
wonders of Thy perfect tranquillity. Vouchsafe unto them the fragrances of
Thy might and Thy mercy, and send down upon them, out of Thy marvelous
loving-kindness, what will enable them to dispense with all except Thee,
and will detach them from aught save Thyself, that the sovereignty of Thy
oneness may be revealed and the supremacy of Thy grace and Thy bounty
demonstrated.
Wilt Thou not, O my God, look upon the tears which Thy loved ones have
shed? Wilt Thou not pity, O my Beloved, the eyes which have been dimmed by
reason of their separation from Thee, and because of the cessation of the
signs of Thy victory? Wilt Thou not behold, O my Master, the hearts
wherein have beaten the wings of the dove of longing and love for Thee? By
Thy glory! Things have come to such a pass that hope hath well nigh been
banished from the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the breaths of despair
are ready to seize them, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days.
Behold me, then, O my God, how I have fled from myself unto Thee, and have
abandoned my own being that I may attain unto the splendors of the light
of Thy Being, and have forsaken all that keepeth me back from Thee, and
maketh me forgetful of Thee, in order that I may inhale the fragrances of
Thy presence and Thy remembrance. Behold how I have stepped upon the dust
of the city of Thy forgiveness and Thy bounty, and dwelt within the
precincts of Thy transcendent mercy, and have besought Thee, through the
sovereignty of Him Who is Thy Remembrance and Who hath appeared in the
robe of Thy most pure and most august Beauty, to send down, in the course
of this year, upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with
any one except Thee, and will set them free to recognize the evidences of
Thy sovereign will and all-conquering purpose, in such wise that they will
seek only what Thou didst wish for them through Thy bidding, and will
desire naught except what Thou didst desire for them through Thy will.
Sanctify, then, their eyes, O my God, that they may behold the light of
Thy Beauty, and purge their ears, that they may listen to the melodies of
the Dove of Thy transcendent oneness. Flood, then, their hearts with the
wonders of Thy love, and preserve their tongues from mentioning any one
save Thee, and guard their faces from turning to aught else except
Thyself. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the
Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Protect, moreover, O my Beloved, through Thy love for them and through the
love they bear to Thee, this servant, who hath sacrificed his all for
Thee, and expended whatsoever Thou hast given him in the path of Thy love
and Thy good pleasure, and preserve him from all that Thou abhorrest, and
from whatsoever may hinder him from entering into the Tabernacle of Thy
holy sovereignty, and from attaining the seat of Thy transcendent oneness.
Number him, then, O my God, with such as have allowed nothing whatever to
deter them from beholding Thy beauty, or from meditating on the wondrous
evidences of Thine everlasting handiwork, that he may have fellowship with
none except Thee, and turn to naught save Thyself, and discover in
whatever hath been created by Thee in the kingdoms of earth and heaven
nothing but Thy wondrous Beauty and the revelation of the splendors of Thy
face, and be so immersed beneath the billowing oceans of Thine overruling
providence and the surging seas of Thy holy unity, that he will forget
every mention except the mention of Thy transcendent oneness, and banish
from his soul the traces of all evil suggestions, O Thou in Whose hands
are the kingdoms of all names and attributes!
Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who art the Goal of my desire! I swear by Thy
glory! How great is my wish to attain unto a detachment so complete that
were there to appear before me those countenances which are hid within the
chambers of chastity, and the beauty of which Thou didst veil from the
eyes of the entire creation, and whose faces Thou didst sanctify from the
sight of all beings, and were they to unveil themselves in all the glory
of the splendors of Thine incomparable beauty, I would refuse to look upon
them, and would behold them solely for the purpose of discerning the
mysteries of Thy handiwork, which have perplexed the minds of such as have
drawn nigh unto Thee, and awed the souls of all them that have recognized
Thee. I would, by Thy power and Thy might, soar to such heights that
nothing whatsoever would have the power to keep me back from the manifold
evidences of Thy transcendent dominion, nor would any earthly scheme shut
me out from the manifestations of Thy Divine holiness.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Beloved, and
my Master, and my Desire! Shatter not the hopes of this lowly one to
attain the shores of Thy glory, and deprive not this wretched creature of
the immensities of Thy riches, and cast not away this suppliant from the
doors of Thy grace, and Thy bounty, and Thy gifts. Have mercy, then, upon
this poor and desolate soul who hath sought no friend but Thee, and no
companion except Thee, and no comforter save Thee, and no beloved apart
from Thee, nor cherished any desire but Thyself.
Cast, then, upon me, O my God, the glances of Thy mercy, and forgive me my
trespasses and the trespasses of them that are dear to Thee, and which
come in between us and the revelation of Thy triumph and Thy grace. Cancel
Thou, moreover, our sins which have shut off our faces from the splendors
of the Day-Star of Thy favors. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou
ordainest what Thou willest, and art not asked of what Thou wishest
through the power of Thy sovereignty, nor canst Thou be frustrated in
whatsoever Thou prescribest through Thine irrevocable decree. No God is
there save Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Ever-living, the
Most Compassionate.
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To most men who have not heard the message of this teaching, religion seems an outward form, a pretence, merely a seal of respectability. Some priests are in holy office for no other reason than to gain their living. They themselves do not believe... Say: Deliver Your Souls O People From
Say: Deliver your souls, O people, from the bondage of self, and purify them from all attachment to anything besides Me. Remembrance of Me cleanseth all things from defilement, could ye but perceive it. Say: Were all created things to be entirely ... Say: Doth It Beseem A Man While Claiming
Say: Doth it beseem a man while claiming to be a follower of his Lord, the All-Merciful, he should yet in his heart do the very deeds of the Evil One? Nay, it ill beseemeth him, and to this He Who is the Beauty of the All-Glorious will bear Me wit... Say: O Leaders Of Religion! Weigh Not The
Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the unerring balance established amongst men. In this most perfect balance whatsoever the peoples and kindred... Say: O Men! This Is A Matchless Day
Say: O men! This is a matchless Day. Matchless must, likewise, be the tongue that celebrateth the praise of the Desire of all nations, and matchless the deed that aspireth to be acceptable in His sight. The whole human race hath longed for this Da... Say: O People! Withhold Not From Yourselves
Say: O people! Withhold not from yourselves the grace of God and His mercy. Whoso withholdeth himself therefrom is indeed in grievous loss. What, O people! Do ye worship the dust, and turn away from your Lord, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful? Fear... Say: O Ye That Envy Me And Seek My Hurt!
Say: O ye that envy Me and seek My hurt! The fury of your wrath against Me confound you! Lo, the Day Star of Glory hath risen above the horizon of My Revelation, and enveloped with its radiance the whole of mankind. And yet, behold how ye have shu... Say: We Have Caused The Rivers Of Divine
Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance to proceed out of Our throne, that the tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may spring forth from the soil of your hearts. Will ye not be thankful? They who disdain to worship their Lord shall... Science And Faith
The gentleman then put a question which he said he considered of very great importance in connection with a religious movement, claiming to be universal. What position he asked, if any, did Baha'u'llah given to the modern ideas and conceptions of ... Seven Valleys Of Baha'u'llah
_In the Name of God, the Clement, the Merciful._ Praise be to God Who hath made being to come forth from nothingness; graven upon the tablet of man the secrets of preexistence; taught him from the mysteries of divine utterance that which he knew n... Shake Off O Heedless Ones The Slumber Of
Shake off, O heedless ones, the slumber of negligence, that ye may behold the radiance which His glory hath spread through the world. How foolish are those who murmur against the premature birth of His light. O ye who are inly blind! Whether too s... Short Obligatory Prayer
To Be Recited Once In Twenty-four Hours, At Noon I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealt... Should Any Man In This Day Arise And
Should any man, in this Day, arise and, with absolute detachment from all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, set his affections on Him Who is the Day Spring of God's holy Revelation, he will, verily, be empowered to subdue all cr... Since Thou Hast, O My God, Established Thyself
Since Thou hast, O my God, established Thyself upon the throne of Thy transcendent unity, and ascended the mercy seat of Thy oneness, it befitteth Thee to blot out from the hearts of all beings whatsoever may keep them back from gaining admittance... Some Have Regarded It As Lawful To Infringe
Some have regarded it as lawful to infringe on the integrity of the substance of their neighbor, and have made light of the injunction of God as prescribed in His Book. Evil fall upon them, and the chastisement of God, the All-Powerful, the Almigh... Some Of The Experiences Of His Forty Years Imprisonment
In an apartment in Cadogan Gardens sits a spiritually illumined Oriental, whose recent advent in London marks the latest junction of the East and West. The teaching of 'Abdu'l-Baha has already brought about the commingling of thousands of Engli... Some Personal Characteristics
There is a note in 'Abdu'l-Baha's character that has not been emphasized, and with which no idea of him is complete. The impressive dignity which distinguishes his presence and bearing is occasionally lighted by a delicate and tactful humour, whic... Some Texts Revealed By Baha'u'llah Supplementary To The Kitab-i-aqdas
A number of Tablets revealed by Baha'u'llah after the... A number of Tablets revealed by Baha'u'llah after the Kitab-i-Aqdas contain passages supplementary to the provisions of the Most Holy Book. The most noteworthy of these have been... Speech Of Professor Michael Sadler
We have met together to bid farewell to 'Abdu'l-Baha, and to thank God for his example and teaching, and for the power of his prayers to bring Light into confused thought, Hope into the place of dread, Faith where doubt was, and into troubled hear... Spiritual Relationship
In the evening of September 28th, 'Abdu'l-Baha was with a number of assembled guests. He said all of you here are sisters. Bodily relationships may pass; even two sisters may be inimical to each other, but the spiritual relationship is eternal,... Spreading The Teaching
When asked by an American friend: Which is the best way to spread the teaching? he said: By deeds. This way is open to all, and deeds are understood by all. Join yourselves to those who work for the poor, the weak and the unfortunate; this is grea... St John's Westminster: Introduction
On September 17th, 'Abdu'l-Baha at the request of the venerable Archdeacon of Westminster addressed the congregation of Saint John the Divine after evening service. With a few warm words characteristic of his whole attitude Archdeacon Wilberforce ... Suffer Me, O My God, To Draw Nigh Unto Thee,
Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to abide within the precincts of Thy court, for remoteness from Thee hath well-nigh consumed me. Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the flame of my separation from Thee... Sultan 'abdu'l-'aziz
HEARKEN, O King, to the speech of Him that speaketh the truth, Him that doth not ask thee to recompense Him with the things God hath chosen to bestow upon thee, Him Who unerringly treadeth the straight Path. He it is Who summoneth thee unto God, t... Symbols
Someone wished to know if it were a good custom to wear a symbol, as, for instance, a cross. He said: You wear the cross for remembrance, it concentrates your thoughts; it has no magical power. Baha'is often wear a stone with the greatest name eng... Synopsis And Codification
I. THE APPOINTMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA AS THE SUCCESSOR OF BAHA'U'LLAH AND INTERPRETER OF HIS TEACHINGS A. The faithful are enjoined to turn their faces towards the One Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched fr... Tear Asunder In My Name The Veils That
Tear asunder, in My Name, the veils that have grievously blinded your vision, and, through the power born of your belief in the unity of God, scatter the idols of vain imitation. Enter, then, the holy paradise of the good-pleasure of the All-Merci... That Which Thou Hast Heard Concerning
That which thou hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up Ishmael as a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His d... The All-knowing Physician Hath His Finger
The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world neede... The All-knowing Physician Hath His Finger On The
THE All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world neede... The All-merciful Hath Conferred Upon Man
The All-Merciful hath conferred upon man the faculty of vision, and endowed him with the power of hearing. Some have described him as the "lesser world," when, in reality, he should be regarded as the "greater world." The potentialities inherent i... The Ancient Beauty Hath Consented To Be
The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained ... The Bearers Of The Trust Of God Are Made
The Bearers of the Trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Revealers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of Go... The Beginning Of All Things Is The Knowledge
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. ... The Book Of God Is Wide Open And His
The Book of God is wide open, and His Word is summoning mankind unto Him. No more than a mere handful, however, hath been found willing to cleave to His Cause, or to become the instruments for its promotion. These few have been endued with the Div... The Breath Hath Been Wafted, And The Breeze Hath
THE Breath hath been wafted, and the Breeze hath blown, and from Zion hath appeared that which was hidden, and from Jerusalem is heard the Voice of God, the One, the Incomparable, the Omniscient. ... The Captivity Of Man
'Abdu'l-Baha said:--Luxuries cut off the freedom of communication. One who is imprisoned by desires is always unhappy; the children of the Kingdom have unchained themselves from their desires. Break all fetters and seek for spiritual joy and enlig... The Change Of Heart
To one who spoke of the people's desire to possess the land, and of the strong under-current of rebellion on the part of the labouring classes, 'Abdu'l-Baha said: Fighting, and the employment of force, even for the right cause, will not bring abou... The City Temple: Introduction
On September 10th, the first Sunday after 'Abdu'l-Baha's arrival in England, he spoke from the City Temple pulpit to the evening congregation at the special desire of the Pastor, the Reverend R. J. Campbell. Though 'Abdu'l-Baha's coming had not ... The Coming Of Peace
By what process continued the questioner, will this peace on earth be established? Will it come at once after a universal declaration of the Truth? No, it will come about gradually, said 'Abdu'l-Baha. A plant that grows too quickly lasts but a ... The Divine Springtime Is Come O Most Exalted
The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things m... The Divine Who Hath Seized And Quaffed The Most Holy
THE divine who hath seized and quaffed the most holy Wine, in the name of the sovereign Ordainer, is as an eye unto the world. Well is it with them who obey him, and call him to remembrance. ... The Divine Whose Conduct Is Upright, And The Sage Who
THE divine whose conduct is upright, and the sage who is just, are as the spirit unto the body of the world. Well is it with that divine whose head is attired with the crown of justice, and whose temple is adorned with the ornament of equity. ... The Elected Representatives Of The Peoples In Every Land
O YE the elected representatives of the people in every land! Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be only for that which profiteth mankind, and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be of them that scan heedfully. Regard the world as t... The Farewell
On the last morning of 'Abdu'l-Baha's stay in London many friends gathered both at Cadogan Gardens and at the station to bid him farewell. An impressive and interesting ceremony was performed at the house by a Zoroastrian (a physician), who sent a... The First And Foremost Duty Prescribed
The first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God. No act, howe... The First Duty Prescribed By God For His
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Day Spring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achiev... The First Summer
We had no communication whatever with the out-side world. Each loaf of bread was cut open by the guard to see that it contained no message. All who believed in the Baha'i manifestation, children, men and women, were imprisoned with us. There were ... The First Valley
If the travelers seek after the goal of the Intended One (maqsud), this station appertaineth to the self--but that self which is The Self of God standing within Him with laws.(90) On this plane, the self is not rejected but beloved; it is well-p...