Quote of the Day

[arthra]

Read the Verses of God every morning and evening, and he who does not read will not be known by the Covenant of God and His Testament. And he who turns away from them in this Day, verily he is of those who have turned away from God since the eternity of eternities. O ye servants, fear God! Be not deluded by meaningless repetition of prayers, but worship by day and by night. Should any one read but one Verse of the Verses with fragrance and spirituality, it shall avail more unto him than to read with slothfulness all the Books of God, the Protector, the Self-existent.

~ Baha'u'llah
__________________

 

[arthra]

Rest thou assured that in this era of the spirit, the Kingdom of Peace will raise up its tabernacle on the summits of the world, and the commandments of the Prince of Peace will so dominate the arteries and nerves of every people as to draw into His sheltering shade all the nations on earth. From springs of love and truth and unity will the true Shepherd give His sheep to drink. O handmaid of God, peace must first be established among individuals, until it leadeth in the end to peace among nations. Wherefore, O ye Baha'is, strive ye with all your might to create, through the power of the Word of God, genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds among individuals. This is your task.

("Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha", p. 246

 

[arthra]

Blessed is the spot, and the house,
and the place, and the city,
and the heart, and the mountain,
and the refuge, and the cave,
and the valley, and the land,
and the sea, and the island,
and the meadow where mention
of God hath been made,
and His praise glorified.

—Bahá’u’lláh

 

[arthra]

Port Said', Egypt, July 15th, 1913.

Dear Friends:

In the notes of our brother... Mirza Mahmoud, I find a glorious
message to the Unitarians of America, which I am sure was not translated
at the time. It is the second day of the Beloved's departure from Alex-
andria for America, on March 26th or 27th, 1912. An American woman ex-
pressei her interest in the Cause, saying that she is a Unitarian and re-
questing the Master to send a message to them in the United Statea.

Then
our LORD uttered the following words:

"Convey to the Unitarians my loving greetings and say; The
most exalted aim in this creational world is the promotion of the Love
of God a-ad the establishment of good fellowship and unity amoung the peQ_
ple. This is the signal distinction between man and animal. When thou
reachest America, announce to the Unitarians:

"Glad Tidings! Glad Tidings! The Sun of Universal Love hath
darmed.

"Glad Tidings! Glad Tidingsl The Banquet of friendship and
divine association is spread.

"Glad Tidingsl Glad Tidingsl The Banner of the Kingdom of
God is unfurledl

"Glad Tidingsl Glad Tidingsl The Heavenly Spring hath
appeared!

"Glad Tidingsl Glad Tidings! The Cloud of Spiritual grace
is poring down!

"Glad Tidings! Glad Tidingsl The Trees of the Orchard of
humanity are verdant and abloom:

"Glad Tidingal Glad Tidings! The Herald of the Kingdom hath
become manifestl

"Glad Tidings! Glad Tidings! The prophecies of the Holy Books
have become fulfilleal

"Glad. Tidings! Glad Tidings'. The age of Human Protherhood is
dawning upon mankind,

"Glad Tidingsl Glad Tidingst The Century of Light and
Universal Peace hath comet

As I read these vivifying words it seemed to me they are a very
significant prelude to the enthusiastic reception given to HIM by the
Unitarians of America in-their convention in Boston.

Source:
http://www.bahai-library.com/etexts/...rabs.diary.txt

 

[arthra]

Were a discerning eye to be found, it will readily perceive that the exponents of the “first” and the “last,” of the “manifest” and the “hidden,” of the “beginning” and the "seal” are none other than these holy Beings, these Essences of Detachment, these divine Souls.

- Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Iqan

 

[arthra]

And now, concerning His words: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.”

By these words it is meant that when the sun of the heavenly teachings hath been eclipsed, the stars of the divinely-established laws have fallen, and the moon of true knowledge—the educator of mankind—hath been obscured; when the standards of guidance and felicity have been reversed, and the morn of truth and righteousness hath sunk in night, then shall the sign of the Son of man appear in heaven.

By “heaven” is meant the visible heaven, inasmuch as when the hour draweth nigh on which the Day-star of the heaven of justice shall be made manifest, and the Ark of divine guidance shall sail upon the sea of glory, a star will appear in the heaven, heralding unto its people the advent of that most great light. In like manner, in the invisible heaven a star shall be made manifest who, unto the peoples of the earth, shall act as a harbinger of the break of that true and exalted Morn.

These twofold signs, in the visible and the invisible heaven, have announced the Revelation of each of the Prophets of God, as is commonly believed.

~ Baha'u'llah

 

[arthra]

O Thou Who art the Lord of grace abounding! Let Thy celestial aid surround those who love Thee and bestow upon us the gifts and the bounties Thou dost possess. Be Thou sufficient unto us of all things, forgive our sins and have mercy upon us. Thou art Our Lord and the Lord of all created things. No one else do we invoke but Thee and naught do we beseech but Thy favours. Thou art the Lord of bounty and grace, invincible in Thy power and the most skilful in Thy designs. No God is there but Thee, the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted.
Confer Thy blessings, O my Lord, upon the Messengers, the holy ones and the righteous. Verily Thou art God, the Peerless, the All-Compelling.

- The Bab

 

[arthra]

From every direction melodies are sounded and we must needs have discriminating ears.

Let us seek the song with the sweetest strains, so that it may be taken up by the angels and carried to the supreme concourse.

Let us hearken to the melody which will stir the world of humanity, so that the people may be transformed with joy.

Let us listen to a symphony which will confer life on man;

then we can obtain universal results;

then we shall receive a new spirit;

then shall we become illumined.

Let us investigate a song which is above all songs;

one which will develop the spirit and produce harmony and exhilaration, unfolding the inner potentialities of life.

Whenever the sun of reality dawns, the lower sphere expresses the virtues of the higher world.

Why does not man harken to the soul-stirring music of the supreme concourse and not run wild with joy over the jarring notes of a street organ!

Strive day and night;

perchance these sleeping ones may be awakened by the celestial strains of the city of melody and hear the soft, delicate music which is streaming down from the kingdom of El-Abha.

 

[arthra]

He hath wiped away their tears, kindled their light, rejoiced their hearts and enraptured their souls. Death shall no more overtake them, neither shall sorrow, crying and tribulation afflict them. The Lord God Omnipotent hath been enthroned in His Kingdom and hath made all things new. This is the truth, and what truth greater than the Revelation of St. John the divine?

He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the One that will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life, and bestow upon the sick the remedy of true salvation. He whom such grace aideth is verily he that receiveth the most glorious heritage from the prophets of God and His holy ones. The Lord will be his God, and he His dearly-beloved son.

Rejoice, then, O ye beloved of the Lord and His chosen ones, and ye the children of God and His people, raise your voice and laud and magnify the Lord, the Most High; for His light hath beamed forth, His signs have appeared, and the billows of His rising ocean have scattered on every shore many a precious pearl.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 350)

 

[arthra]

O God! O God! 1
Thou dost look upon us from Thine unseen Kingdom of Oneness, [beholding] that we have assembled in this Spiritual Meeting, believing in Thee, confident in Thy signs, firm in Thy Covenant and Testament, attracted unto Thee, set aglow with the fire of Thy love, sincere in Thy Cause, servants in Thy vineyard, spreaders of They Religion, worshipers of Thy Countenance, humble to Thy beloved, submissive at Thy door and imploring Thee to confirm us in the service of Thy chosen ones. Support us with Thine unseen hosts, strengthen our loins in Thy servitude and make us submissive and worshiping servants, communing with Thee.
O our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy divine face; feed us from Thy heavenly table by Thy godly grace; help us through the hosts of Thy supreme angels and confirm us by the holy ones of the Kingdom of Abha.
Verily Thou art the Generous, the Merciful! Thou art possessor of great bounty and verily Thou art the Clement and Gracious!

~ Abdul-Baha

 

[arthra]

Do not grieve on account of the death of thy son, neither sigh nor lament. That nightingale soared upward to the divine rose-garden; that drop returned to the most great ocean of Truth; that foreigner hastened to his native abode; and that ill one found salvation and life eternal.

Why should thou be sad and heartbroken?

This separation is temporal; this remoteness and sorrow is counted only by days. Thou shalt find him in the Kingdom of God and thou wilt attain to the everlasting union. Physical companionship is ephemeral, but heavenly association is eternal. Whenever thou rememberest the eternal and never ending union, thou wilt be comforted and blissful.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 99)

 

[arthra]

During our imprisonment at 'Akká means of comfort
were lacking, troubles and persecutions of all kinds surrounded
us, yet notwithstanding such distressful conditions
we were able to endure these trials for forty years.
What was the reason?

The Spirit was strengthening and
resuscitating the body constantly. We lived through this
long, difficult period in the utmost love and servitude.
The spirit must assist the body under certain conditions
which surround us, because the body of itself cannot
endure the extreme of such hardships.

In proportion as the human body is weak the spirit of
man is strong. It is a supernatural power which transcends
all contingent beings. It has immortal life which nothing
can destroy or pervert. . . How powerful is the spirit of
man, while his body is so weak ... Therefore it is divinely
intended that the spiritual susceptibilities of man should
gain precedence and overrule his physical forces.

- From "Portals to Freedom"

 

[arthra]

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

 

[arthra]

"The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."

~ Baha'u'llah

 

[arthra]

With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest unto you.

The denials and protestations of these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of knowledge and understanding.

Those words uttered by the Revealers of the beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed.

Hence they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition.

It is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being, and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of the denizens of the everlasting realm.

- Baha'u'llah Kitab-i-Iqan

 

[arthra]

THE substance wherewith God hath created Me is not the clay out of which others have been formed. He hath conferred upon Me that which the worldly-wise can never comprehend, nor the faithful discover … I am one of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God. Whosoever hath recognized Me, hath known all that is true and right, and hath attained all that is good and seemly; and whosoever hath failed to recognize Me, hath turned away from all that is true and right and hath succumbed to everything evil and unseemly.

- p. 11 Selections From the Writings of the Báb

 

[arthra]

If a soul is seeking to quarrel, ask ye for reconciliation; if he blame you, praise him; if he give you a deadly poison, bestow ye an all-healing antidote; if he createth death, administer ye eternal life; if he becometh a thorn, change ye into roses and hyacinths. Perchance, through such deeds and words, this darkened world will become illuminated, this terrestrial universe will become transformed into a heavenly realm, and this satanic prison become a divine court; warfare and bloodshed be annihilated, and love and faithfulness hoist the tent of unity upon the apex of the world.

~ Abdul-Baha

 

[arthra]

Jesus was a poor man. One night when He was out in the fields, the rain began to fall. He had no place to go for shelter so He lifted* His eyes toward heaven, saying,

"O Father! For the birds of the air Thou hast created nests, for the sheep a fold, for the animals dens, for the fish places of refuge, but for Me Thou hast provided no shelter. There is no place where I may lay My head. My bed consists of the cold ground; My lamps at night are the stars, and My food is the grass of the field. Yet who upon earth is richer than I? For the greatest blessing Thou hast not given to the rich and mighty but unto Me, for Thou hast given Me the poor. To me Thou hast granted this blessing. They are Mine. Therefore am I the richest man on earth."

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 33)

 

[arthra]

As 'Abdu'1 Baha said of Jesus:

"Jesus was a Manifestation of God. Everything of him
pertained to God. To know him was to know God. To have him was to have God. To obey him was to obey God. He was the source of all divine virtues. He was a vision of all divine qualities. In this vision the light of the Sun of Reality was reflected to the world. Through this mirror the Energy of God was transmitted to the world. The whole disc of the Sun of Reality was reflected in him."
Because this "Primal Mirror" thus transmits the rays of the Sun of Truth and brings them directly to bear upon the lives and thoughts of men his appearance upon earth is like the glory of a divine springtime. He focuses upon the world the radiance of a new truth, the warm rays of a new love, the showers of God's mercy, the all renewing breezes of the Holy Spirit. From out his teachings there flowers the summer season of a new civilization."

- SW, Vol. 14, p. 228

 

[arthra]

Consider! When the rain, the heat, the sun and the gentle zephyrs cooperate with each other, what beautiful gardens are produced! How the various kinds of hyacinths, flowers, trees and plants associate with each other and are conducive to the adornment and charm of one another! Hence the oneness of the bounty of the sun, the oneness of rain and the oneness of the breeze have so overcome all other considerations, that the variety of hues, fragrances and tastes have increased the adornment, the attraction and sweetness of the whole. In a similar manner, when the divine Collective Center and the outpouring of the Sun of Reality and the breaths of the Holy Spirit are brought together, the variety of races and the differences existing between countries will become the cause of the embellishment, decoration and elegance of the world of humanity.

~ Abdul-Baha