Now is the time for the lovers of God to raise high the
banners of unity, to intone, in the assemblages of the world, the verses of
friendship and love and to demonstrate to all that the grace of God is one.
Thus will the tabernacles of holiness be upraised on the summits of the earth,
gathering all peoples into the protective shadow of the Word of Oneness. This
great bounty will dawn over the world at the time when the lovers of God shall
arise to carry out His Teachings, and to scatter far and wide the fresh, sweet
scents of universal love. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of
‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
October 30
It is related that His Holiness
Christ - May my life be a sacrifice to Him! – one day, accompanied by His
apostles, passed by the corpse of a dead animal. One
of them said: 'How putrid has this become!' The other exclaimed: 'How it is
deformed!' A third cried out: 'What a stench! How cadaverous looking!' But His
Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! How white they are!' Consider, that
He did not look at all at the defects of that animal;
nay, rather, He searched well until He found the beautiful white teeth. He
observed only the whiteness of the teeth and
overlooked entirely the deformity of the body, the dissolution of its organs
and the bad odor.
This is
the attribute of the children of the Kingdom. This is the conduct and the
manner of the real Baha’is. I hope that all the believers will attain to this
lofty station. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 11,
September 27, 1913; ‘Lights of Guidance’)
October 29
If a soul shall utter a word without the sanction of the
Covenant, he is not firm. Baha'u'llah appointed a Covenant to ward off
dissensions; so that no one can have his own opinions; so that the Center can
be referred to. There were dissensions in the time of Christ because there was
no Center. This is the reality of the question.
Whatever the Center of the Covenant says is correct. No one
should speak a word of himself. Baha’u’llah has called down the vengeance of
God upon anyone who violates the Covenant. Beware! Beware! Lest ye be shaken!
Remain firm even if the people of heaven try to shake you. Firmness in the
Covenant is not mere words. The command is explicit. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from some
instructions given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha to several friends in America, July 1912,
which received His personal signature; Star of the West, vol. 11, no. 14,
November 23, 1920)
October 28
... the
worst human quality and the most great
sin is backbiting; more especially when it emanates
from the tongues of the believers of God. If some
means were devised so that the doors of backbiting could be shut eternally and each one of the believers of God
unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other, then the
teachings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah would be spread, the hearts illuminated, the
spirits glorified and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.
I hope
that the believers of God will shun completely backbiting, each
one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting is the cause of Divine wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to
the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because the most hateful characteristic of man is
fault-finding. One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not
their evil attributes. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults
and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a Tablet,
Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 11, September 27, 1913; ‘Lights of Guidance’)
October 27
These human creatures are even as children, they are brash
and unconcerned. These children must be reared with infinite, loving care, and
tenderly fostered in the embraces of mercy, so that they may taste the
spiritual honey-sweetness of God’s love; that they may become like unto candles
shedding their beams across this darksome world, and may clearly perceive what
blazing crowns of glory the Most Great Name, the Ancient Beauty, hath set on
the brows of His beloved, what bounties He hath bestowed on the hearts of those
He holdeth dear, what a love He hath cast into the breasts of humankind, and
what treasures of friendship He hath made to appear amongst all men.
O God, my God! Aid Thou Thy trusted servants to have loving
and tender hearts. Help them to spread, amongst all the nations of the earth,
the light of guidance that cometh from the Company on high. Verily Thou art the
Strong, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Subduing, the Ever-Giving. Verily
Thou art the Generous, the Gentle, the Tender, the Most Bountiful.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
October 26
In every dispensation, there hath been the commandment of fellowship
and love, but it was a commandment limited to the community of those in mutual
agreement, not to the dissident foe. In this wondrous age, however, praised be
God, the commandments of God are not delimited, not restricted to any one group
of people, rather have all the friends been commanded to show forth fellowship
and love, consideration and generosity and loving-kindness to every community
on earth. Now must the lovers of God arise to carry out these instructions of
His: let them be kindly fathers to the children of the human race, and
compassionate brothers to the youth, and self-denying offspring to those bent
with years. The meaning of this is that ye must show forth tenderness and love
to every human being, even to your enemies, and welcome them all with unalloyed
friendship, good cheer, and loving-kindness. When ye meet with cruelty and
persecution at another’s hands, keep faith with him; when malevolence is
directed your way, respond with a friendly heart. To the spears and arrows
rained upon you, expose your breasts for a target mirror-bright; and in return
for curses, taunts and wounding words, show forth abounding love. Thus will all
peoples witness the power of the Most Great Name, and every nation acknowledge
the might of the Ancient Beauty, and see how He hath toppled down the walls of
discord, and how surely He hath guided all the peoples of the earth to oneness;
how He hath lit man’s world, and made this earth of dust to send forth streams
of light. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
October 25
All creatures that exist are dependent upon the Divine
Bounty. Divine Mercy gives life itself. As the light of the sun shines on the
whole world, so the Mercy of the infinite God is shed on all creatures. As the
sun ripens the fruits of the earth, and gives life and warmth to all living
beings, so shines the Sun of Truth on all souls, filling them with the fire of
Divine love and understanding. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, Paris, October 20,
1911, ‘Paris Talks’)
October 24
Regarding arrangements for the Baha’i
Sunday meeting for the purpose of worship, this is very suitable. But, in a
meeting for worship, first, prayer should be chanted and supplication made
until all gather; then communion should be made. After praying, sacred readings
with melodious voices should be read by all together. As this is the
commencement of holding meetings, this is sufficient. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Tablets
of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1’)
October 23
Look at one another with the eye of perfection;
look at Me, follow Me, be as I am; take no thought for yourselves or your
lives, whether ye eat or whether ye sleep, whether ye are comfortable, whether
ye are well or ill, whether ye are with friends or foes, whether ye receive
praise or blame; for all of these things ye must care not at all. Look at Me
and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the world, so shall ye be born
again and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Behold a candle how it gives its light.
It weeps its life away drop by drop in order to give light. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from
an address, quoted by May Maxwell in ‘An Early Pilgrimage’)
October 22
O thou distinguished personage, thou seeker after truth! Thy
letter of 4 April 1921, hath been read with love.
The existence of the Divine Being hath been clearly
established, on the basis of logical proofs, but the reality of the Godhead is
beyond the grasp of the mind. When thou dost carefully consider this matter,
thou wilt see that a lower plane can never comprehend a higher. The mineral
kingdom, for example, which is lower, is precluded from comprehending the
vegetable kingdom; for the mineral, any such understanding would be utterly
impossible. In the same way, no matter how far the vegetable kingdom may
develop, it will achieve no conception of the animal kingdom, and any such
comprehension at its level would be unthinkable, for the animal occupieth a
plane higher than that of the vegetable: this tree cannot conceive of hearing
and sight. And the animal kingdom, no matter how far it may evolve, can never
become aware of the reality of the intellect, which discovereth the inner essence
of all things, and comprehendeth those realities which cannot be seen; for the
human plane as compared with that of the animal is very high. And although
these beings all co-exist in the contingent world, in each case the difference
in their stations precludeth their grasp of the whole; for no lower degree can
understand a higher, such comprehension being impossible.
October 21
…in
the world of sleep, man's body is powerless and his faculties inactive. The eye
does not see, the ear does not hear, the body does not move; but the soul sees,
hears, moves and discovers realities. Therefore, it is proven that the soul is
not destroyed with the death of the body; it does not perish after the death of
the body; it does not sleep when the body is asleep; rather, it has perception,
it discovers, it flies and it travels. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a talk at the residence of Mr.
and Mrs. Parsons, August 7, 1912, Dublin, USA; Mahmud’s Diary)
October 20
In the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel, verse thirteen,
it is said: “Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that
certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily
sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and
the host to be trodden under foot?” Then he answered (v. 14): “Unto two thousand
and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”; (v. 17) “But he
said unto me ... at the time of the end shall be the vision.” That is to say,
how long will this misfortune, this ruin, this abasement and degradation last?
meaning, when will be the dawn of the Manifestation? Then he answered, “Two
thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Briefly, the purport of this passage is that he appoints two thousand three
hundred years, for in the text of the Bible each day is a year. Then from the
date of the issuing of the edict of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem until the
day of the birth of Christ there are 456 years, and from the birth of Christ
until the day of the manifestation of the Báb there are 1844 years. When you
add 456 years to this number it makes 2300 years. That is to say, the
fulfillment of the vision of Daniel took place in the year A.D. 1844, and this
is the year of the Báb’s manifestation according to the actual text of the Book
of Daniel. Consider how clearly he determines the year of manifestation; there
could be no clearer prophecy for a manifestation than this. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’)
October 19
O ye friends! Fellowship, fellowship! Love, love! Unity, unity!—so
that the power of the Bahá’í Cause may appear and become manifest in the world
of existence. My thoughts are turned towards you, and my heart leaps within me
at your mention. Could ye know how my soul glows with your love, so great a
happiness would flood your hearts as to cause you to become enamored with each
other. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Tablets of the Divine Plan’)
October 18
Your letter was read and its contents
caused joy and happiness. Thank God that in such a cycle ye have stepped into
the plane of existence, attained the glory of the Lord of the Kingdom, obtained
light from the Sun of Truth and were ushered in under the shadow of the Tree of
Life in the paradise of joy. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha’, vol. 1)
October 17
The power of the understanding differs in degree in the various
kingdoms of creation. The mineral, vegetable, and animal realms are each
incapable of understanding any creation beyond their own. The mineral cannot
imagine the growing power of the plant. The tree cannot understand the power of
movement in the animal, neither can it comprehend what it would mean to possess
sight, hearing or the sense of smell. These all belong to the physical
creation.
Man also shares in this creation; but it is not possible for
either of the lower kingdoms to understand that which takes place in the mind
of man. The animal cannot realize the intelligence of a human being, he only
knows that which is perceived by his animal senses, he cannot imagine anything
in the abstract. An animal could not learn that the world is round, that the
earth revolves round the sun, or the construction of the electric telegraph.
These things are only possible to man. Man is the highest work of creation, the
nearest to God of all creatures.
All superior kingdoms are incomprehensible to the inferior;
how therefore could it be possible that the creature, man, should understand
the almighty Creator of all?
That which we imagine, is not the Reality of God; He, the
Unknowable, the Unthinkable, is far beyond the highest conception of man. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
from a talk, Paris, October 20, 1911, ‘Paris Talks’)
October 16
Chaos and confusion are daily increasing in the world. They
will attain such intensity as to render the frame of mankind unable to bear
them. Then will men be awakened and become aware that religion is the
impregnable stronghold and the manifest light of the world, and its laws,
exhortations and teachings, the source of life on earth. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, quoted
by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 10 February 1980; Messaged
from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)
October 15
…the
transference of the body from one condition to another brings about no change
or alteration in the soul. For instance, the body is young but it grows old,
while the soul remains unaffected; the body becomes weak but the soul does not;
the body becomes diseased or paralyzed but the soul remains unchanged. It has
often come to pass that one of the limbs of the body has been amputated; the
soul, however, remains the same and is not affected at all. Therefore, it is
clear that the changes experienced by the body do not affect the soul. As long
as it is unchanged, it will remain eternal. The pivot of mortality is change
and alteration. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
excerpt from a talk at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, August 7, 1912,
Dublin, USA; Mahmud’s Diary)
October 14
Wherefore, O my loving friends! Consort with all the
peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness,
uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness, that all the
world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the grace of Bahá, that
ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may vanish from the world and the darkness
of estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to
the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you show your
fidelity unto them, should they be unjust toward you show justice towards them,
should they keep aloof from you attract them to yourselves, should they show
their enmity be friendly towards them, should they poison your lives, sweeten
their souls, should they inflict a wound upon you, be a salve to their sores.
Such are the attributes of the sincere! Such are the attributes of the
truthful. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
October 13
The foundation of the divine religions is reality; were
there no reality, there would be no religions. Abraham heralded reality. Moses
promulgated reality. Christ established reality. Muhammad was the Messenger of
reality. The Báb was the door of reality. Bahá’u’lláh was the splendor of
reality. Reality is one; it does not admit multiplicity or division. Reality is
as the sun, which shines forth from different dawning points; it is as the
light, which has illumined many lanterns. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, 19 May,
1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)
October 12
The Báb, at the outset of His mission, explicitly prohibited
tobacco, and the friends one and all abandoned its use. But since those were
times when dissimulation was permitted, and every individual who abstained from
smoking was exposed to harassment, abuse and even death—the friends, in order
not to advertise their beliefs, would smoke. Later on, the Book of Aqdas was
revealed, and since smoking tobacco was not specifically forbidden there, the
believers did not give it up. The Blessed Beauty, however, always expressed
repugnance for it, and although, in the early days, there were reasons why He
would smoke a little tobacco, in time He completely renounced it, and those
sanctified souls who followed Him in all things also abandoned its use. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
October 11
When Christ appeared, twenty centuries ago, although the
Jews were eagerly awaiting His Coming, and prayed every day, with tears,
saying: ‘O God, hasten the Revelation of the Messiah,’ yet when the Sun of
Truth dawned, they denied Him and rose against Him with the greatest enmity,
and eventually crucified that divine Spirit, the Word of God, and named Him
Beelzebub, the evil one, as is recorded in the Gospel. The reason for this was
that they said: ‘The Revelation of Christ, according to the clear text of the
Torah, will be attested by certain signs, and so long as these signs have not
appeared, whoso layeth claim to be a Messiah is an impostor. Among these signs
is this, that the Messiah should come from an unknown place, yet we all know
this man’s house in Nazareth, and can any good thing come out of Nazareth? The
second sign is that He shall rule with a rod of iron, that is, He must act with
the sword, but this Messiah has not even a wooden staff. Another of the
conditions and signs is this: He must sit upon the throne of David and
establish David’s sovereignty. Now, far from being enthroned, this man has not
even a mat to sit on. Another of the conditions is this: the promulgation of
all the laws of the Torah; yet this man has abrogated these laws, and has even
broken the sabbath day, although it is the clear text of the Torah that
whosoever layeth claim to prophethood and revealeth miracles and breaketh the
sabbath day, must be put to death. Another of the signs is this, that in His
reign justice will be so advanced that righteousness and well-doing will extend
from the human even to the animal world—the snake and the mouse will share one
hole, and the eagle and the partridge one nest, the lion and the gazelle shall
dwell in one pasture, and the wolf and the kid shall drink from one fountain.
Yet now, injustice and tyranny have waxed so great in His time that they have
crucified Him! Another of the conditions is this, that in the days of the
Messiah the Jews will prosper and triumph over all the peoples of the world,
but now they are living in the utmost abasement and servitude in the empire of
the Romans. Then how can this be the Messiah promised in the Torah?’
In this wise did they object to that Sun of Truth, although that Spirit of God was indeed the One promised in the Torah. But as they did not understand the meaning of these signs, they crucified the Word of God. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Written especially for Dr. Esslemont’s immortal work Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era)
In this wise did they object to that Sun of Truth, although that Spirit of God was indeed the One promised in the Torah. But as they did not understand the meaning of these signs, they crucified the Word of God. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Written especially for Dr. Esslemont’s immortal work Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era)
October 10
Verse 5 [of the 12th chapter of the Revelation of
St. John]. “And she brought forth a man child, Who was to rule all nations with
a rod of iron.” This great son is the promised Manifestation Who was born of
the Law of God and reared in the bosom of the divine teachings. The iron rod is
a symbol of power and might—it is not a sword—and means that with divine power
and might He will shepherd all the nations of the earth. This son is the Báb.
Verse 5. “And her child was caught up unto God, and to His
throne.” This is a prophecy of the Báb, Who ascended to the heavenly realm, to
the Throne of God, and to the center of His Kingdom. Consider how all this
corresponds to what happened. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Some Answered Questions’)
October 9
Among the most eminent of those who left their homeland to join
Bahá’u’lláh was Mírzá Hasan, the great Afnán, who during the latter days won
the honor of emigrating and of receiving the favor and companionship of his
Lord. The Afnán, related to the Báb, was specifically named by the Supreme Pen
as an offshoot of the Holy Tree. When still a small child, he received his
portion of bounty from the Báb, and showed forth an extraordinary attachment to
that dazzling Beauty. Not yet adolescent, he frequented the society of the
learned, and began to study sciences and arts. He reflected day and night on
the most abstruse of spiritual questions, and gazed in wonderment at the mighty
signs of God as written in the Book of Life. He became thoroughly versed even
in such material sciences as mathematics, geometry, and geography; in brief, he
was well grounded in many fields, thoroughly conversant with the thought of
ancient and modern times.
A merchant by profession, he spent only a short period of
the day and evening at his business, devoting most of his time to discussion
and research. He was truly erudite, a great credit to the Cause of God amongst
leading men of learning. With a few concise phrases, he could solve perplexing
questions. His speech was laconic, but in itself a kind of miracle.
Although he first became a believer in the days of the Báb,
it was during the days of Bahá’u’lláh that he caught fire. Then his love of God
burned away every obstructing veil and idle thought. He did all he could to
spread the Faith of God, becoming known far and wide for his ardent love of
Bahá’u’lláh. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Memorials of the Faithful)
October 8
We must first prove that there is no
annihilation in creation. Annihilation is only the decomposition of elements.
For example, all these things we see in existence are made up of elements; that
is, single atoms have combined and have formed infinite patterns. Every
combination produces an entity. For example, through the combination of certain
elements this flower has come into existence. Its annihilation means only the
decomposition of this combination, it does not mean the destruction of the
individual atoms or principal elements because these remain and will not be
destroyed. When we say that this flower is destroyed we mean that its
combination is decomposed but the principal elements remain; only their
combination is destroyed.
In the same way, man has come into existence as the result of the combination of certain elements. Although his death is the disintegration of these elements, the elements are not annihilated. Therefore, life consists of the combination of elements and death of their dissolution or transference from one state to another. The transference of the vegetable to the animal world is the death of the former. Draw your own conclusions from this. Similarly, the transference of man from this world of matter and the dissolution of his elements constitute human death. Thus, it should be known that for existence there is no death. At most there is a transfer from one state to another. As the soul of man is not the result of composition and does not come into being through the affinity of molecular elements, it is not subject to disintegration. If it were, then we would say the soul has died. But because it is not composed, therefore it cannot be decomposed. And it is clear that even the basic elements are not subject to decomposition as they are not a compound composition. No doubt remains regarding this matter. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a talk at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, August 7, 1912, Dublin, USA; Mahmud's Diary)
In the same way, man has come into existence as the result of the combination of certain elements. Although his death is the disintegration of these elements, the elements are not annihilated. Therefore, life consists of the combination of elements and death of their dissolution or transference from one state to another. The transference of the vegetable to the animal world is the death of the former. Draw your own conclusions from this. Similarly, the transference of man from this world of matter and the dissolution of his elements constitute human death. Thus, it should be known that for existence there is no death. At most there is a transfer from one state to another. As the soul of man is not the result of composition and does not come into being through the affinity of molecular elements, it is not subject to disintegration. If it were, then we would say the soul has died. But because it is not composed, therefore it cannot be decomposed. And it is clear that even the basic elements are not subject to decomposition as they are not a compound composition. No doubt remains regarding this matter. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a talk at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, August 7, 1912, Dublin, USA; Mahmud's Diary)
October 7
…material civilization is like unto a beautiful body, and
spiritual civilization is like unto the spirit of life. If that wondrous spirit
of life enters this beautiful body, the body will become a channel for the distribution
and development of the perfections of humanity.
Jesus Christ came to teach the people of the world this
heavenly civilization and not material civilization. He breathed the breath of
the Holy Spirit into the body of the world and established an illumined
civilization. Among the principles of divine civilization He came to proclaim
is the Most Great Peace of mankind. Among His principles of spiritual
civilization is the oneness of the kingdom of humanity. Among the principles of
heavenly civilization He brought is the virtue of the human world. Among the
principles of celestial civilization He announced is the improvement and
betterment of human morals. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, 14 April, 1912; ‘The
Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by Abdu'l-Bahá during His
Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)
October 6
Other attributes of perfection [in addition to “learning and
the cultural attainments of the mind”, and “justice and impartiality”] are to
fear God, to love God by loving His servants, to exercise mildness and
forbearance and calm, to be sincere, amenable, clement and compassionate; to
have resolution and courage, trustworthiness and energy, to strive and
struggle, to be generous, loyal, without malice, to have zeal and a sense of
honor, to be high-minded and magnanimous, and to have regard for the rights of
others. Whoever is lacking in these excellent human qualities is defective. If
We were to explain the inner meanings of each one of these attributes, “the
poem would take up seventy maunds [A measure of weight, in Ṭihrán equivalent to six and
two-thirds pounds of paper.]” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Secret of Divine
Civilization’)
October 5
In the Old Testament we read that God said, ‘Let us make man
in Our own image’. In the Gospel, Christ said, ‘I am in the Father, and the
Father in Me’. [John xiv, II] In the
Qur’án, God says, ‘Man is my Mystery and I am his’. Bahá’u’lláh writes that God
says, ‘Thy heart is My home; purify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place
of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation’.
All these sacred words show us that man is made in God’s image: yet the Essence of God is incomprehensible to the human mind, for the finite understanding cannot be applied to this infinite Mystery. God contains all: He cannot be contained. That which contains is superior to that which is contained. The whole is greater than its parts.
Things which are understood by men cannot be outside their capacity for understanding, so that it is impossible for the heart of man to comprehend the nature of the Majesty of God. Our imagination can only picture that which it is able to create. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, October 20, 1911, Paris)
All these sacred words show us that man is made in God’s image: yet the Essence of God is incomprehensible to the human mind, for the finite understanding cannot be applied to this infinite Mystery. God contains all: He cannot be contained. That which contains is superior to that which is contained. The whole is greater than its parts.
Things which are understood by men cannot be outside their capacity for understanding, so that it is impossible for the heart of man to comprehend the nature of the Majesty of God. Our imagination can only picture that which it is able to create. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, October 20, 1911, Paris)
October 4
The third requirement of perfection is to arise with
complete sincerity and purity of purpose to educate the masses: to exert the
utmost effort to instruct them in the various branches of learning and useful
sciences, to encourage the development of modern progress, to widen the scope
of commerce, industry and the arts, to further such measures as will increase
the people’s wealth. For the mass of the population is uninformed as to these
vital agencies which would constitute an immediate remedy for society’s chronic
ills. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Secret of Divine Civilization’)
October 3
O thou who art attracted by the Word of
God!
Verily, I read thy letter which contained new significances. I ask God to make thee a new creature so that the lights of human perfections may shine through thee and to make thee kind hearted unto all human beings so that thou mayest be a mercy unto souls, absolute goodness to all, a sign of kindness, a word of tenderness. Verily, thy Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful! He reviveth whomsoever He wisheth by the spirit of righteousness and granteth unto whom He wisheth great bounty, guideth whom He wisheth unto the path of life and confirmeth whom He desireth in attaining the Kingdom of God.
As to thee, be confident in the mercy of thy Lord, and ask what thou desirest. Verily, God is the Generous, the Giver! (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1’)
Verily, I read thy letter which contained new significances. I ask God to make thee a new creature so that the lights of human perfections may shine through thee and to make thee kind hearted unto all human beings so that thou mayest be a mercy unto souls, absolute goodness to all, a sign of kindness, a word of tenderness. Verily, thy Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful! He reviveth whomsoever He wisheth by the spirit of righteousness and granteth unto whom He wisheth great bounty, guideth whom He wisheth unto the path of life and confirmeth whom He desireth in attaining the Kingdom of God.
As to thee, be confident in the mercy of thy Lord, and ask what thou desirest. Verily, God is the Generous, the Giver! (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1’)
October 2
It is essential that scholars and the spiritually learned
should undertake in all sincerity and purity of intent and for the sake of God
alone, to counsel and exhort the masses and clarify their vision with that
collyrium which is knowledge. For today the people out of the depths of their
superstition, imagine that any individual who believes in God and His signs,
and in the Prophets and Divine Revelations and laws, and is a devout and
God-fearing person, must of necessity remain idle and spend his days in sloth,
so as to be considered in the sight of God as one who has forsaken the world
and its vanities, set his heart on the life to come, and isolated himself from
human beings in order to draw nearer to God. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Secret of
Divine Civilization’)
October 1
The second attribute of perfection is justice and
impartiality. This means to have no regard for one’s own personal benefits and
selfish advantages, and to carry out the laws of God without the slightest
concern for anything else. It means to see one’s self as only one of the
servants of God, the All-Possessing, and except for aspiring to spiritual
distinction, never attempting to be singled out from the others. It means to
consider the welfare of the community as one’s own. It means, in brief, to
regard humanity as a single individual, and one’s own self as a member of that
corporeal form, and to know of a certainty that if pain or injury afflicts any
member of that body, it must inevitably result in suffering for all the rest. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
‘The Secret of Divine Civilization’)
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