- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
December 31
December 30
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
December 29
I supplicate God that day by day thou mayest become more
steadfast, so that like unto an impregnable stronghold thou mayest withstand
the surging of the ocean of tests and trials. The people of the world are like
unto trees. Those that are rootless are toppled by the slightest breeze, while
those that grow deep roots and become strong and firm are not shaken by violent
winds, and in time bring forth leaves and blossoms and fruit.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Give Me Thy Grace to Serve Thy Loved Ones’,
prepared by the International Teaching Center for the Continental Counsellors
and their Auxiliaries, May 2018)
December 28
Bahá’u’lláh… expounded this question of universal peace at a
time when He was confined in the fortress of ‘Akká and was wronged and
imprisoned. He wrote about this important matter of universal peace to all the
great sovereigns of the world, and established it among His friends in the
Orient. The horizon of the East was in utter darkness, nations displayed the
utmost hatred and enmity towards each other, religions thirsted for each
other’s blood, and it was darkness upon darkness. At such a time Bahá’u’lláh
shone forth like the sun from the horizon of the east and illumined Persia with
the lights of these teachings.
Among His teachings was the declaration of universal peace.
People of different nations, religions and sects who followed Him came together
to such an extent that remarkable gatherings were instituted consisting of the
various nations and religions of the East. Every soul who entered these
gatherings saw but one nation, one teaching, one pathway, one order, for the
teachings of Bahá’u’lláh were not limited to the establishment of universal peace.
They embraced many teachings which supplemented and supported that of universal
peace.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From the First Tablet to the Hague, 17 December 1919;
revised translation under the direction of the Universal House of Justice,
available at the online ‘Baha’i Reference Library’ site of the Baha’i World
Center)
December 27
…the wise souls who are aware of the essential relationships
emanating from the realities of things consider that one single matter cannot,
by itself, influence the human reality as it ought and should, for until the
minds of men become united, no important matter can be accomplished. At present
universal peace is a matter of great importance, but unity of conscience is
essential, so that the foundation of this matter may become secure, its
establishment firm and its edifice strong.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From the First Tablet
to the Hague, 17 December 1919; revised translation under the direction of the
Universal House of Justice, available at the online ‘Baha’i Reference Library’
site of the Baha’i World Center)
December 26
O ye friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! The tumult of the nations and
the clamour of their peoples are certain and inevitable in the Day of the
Manifestation of the Most Great Name. The wisdom of this irrevocable decree is
clear and evident. For when the winds of tests blow, the frail trees are uprooted
while the blessed trees are made firm and immovable. Torrents of rain distress
and scatter the creeping things that walk upon the earth while the gardens are
fill ed with anemones and bring forth roses and sweet herbs, and the
nightingales warble their melodies, chanting a myriad songs at every moment.
This is a bounty unto the righteous and a calamity unto those who are weak.
Render thanks unto God that your feet are firm and your faces, like pure gold,
are aglow in the fire of tests. I beseech the one true God that day by day ye
may increase in firmness and steadfastness.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet;
compilation: ‘Give Me Thy Grace to Serve Thy Loved Ones’, prepared by the
International Teaching Centre for the Continental Counsellors and their Auxiliaries,
May 2018)
December 25
O maid-servant of God! Verily, I pray God to sanctify thee
from the material and thus clothe thee with the garment of holiness and the
mantle of purity and send through thee the glad-tidings of thy Lord from the
Kingdom of Heaven.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm
and steadfast, for by it man attains the greatest hope. Bear every difficulty
and be content with any ordeal for the love of thy Lord, so that thou mayest
obtain that favor, the lights of which shine throughout the horizons.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha ('Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2')
December 24
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some
Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Center)
December 23
All through His [Jesus] blessed life He suffered oppression
and hardship, and in spite of all this humanity was His enemy! They denied Him,
scorned Him, ill-treated Him and cursed Him. He was not treated like a man—and
yet in spite of all this He was the embodiment of pity and of supreme goodness
and love. He loved all humanity, but they treated Him as an enemy and were incapable
of appreciating Him. They set no value on His words and were not illumined by
the flame of His love. Later they realized who He was; that He was the Sacred
and Divine Light, and that His words held Eternal Life. His heart was full of
love for all the world, His goodness was destined to reach each one—and as they
began to realize these things, they repented—but He had been crucified! It was
not until many years after His ascension that they knew who He was, and at the
time of His ascension He had only a very few disciples; only a comparatively
small following believed His precepts and followed His laws. The ignorant said,
‘Who is this individual; He has only a few disciples!’ But those who knew said:
‘He is the Sun who will shine in the East and in the West, He is the
Manifestation who shall give life to the world’. What the first disciples had
seen the world realized later.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk; ‘Paris Talks:
Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912’)
December 22
…I say unto you pray—pray and turn your faces to God, that
He, in His infinite compassion and mercy, may help and succour these misguided
ones. [the “cruel, prejudiced and unjust…man”] Pray that He will grant them
spiritual understanding and teach them tolerance and mercy, that the eyes of
their minds may be opened and that they may be endued with the gift of the
spirit. Then would peace and love walk hand in hand through the lands, and these
poor unhappy people might have rest.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk; ‘Paris Talks:
Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912’)
December 21
[Addressed to: The Counsel Board of West Hoboken, New
Jersey]Blessed are your ears, for they have heard the Call!
Blessed are your eyes, for they have beheld the signs of
their Mighty Lord!
Blessed are your tongues, for they have uttered the praise
of my Lord, the Supreme!
Blessed are your nostrils, for they have inhaled the odor of
faithfulness from the people of guidance!
Blessed are your hearts, for they are attracted to the
Beauty of Abha!
Blessed are your breasts, for they are dilated by the
knowledge of God!
Blessed are your souls, for they have partaken of the spirit
of life from the fragrances of sanctity in the Paradise of Abha!
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)
December 20
O maid-servant of God! The circumstances will be severe for
every thankful servant (i.e., believer in the Teachings) in those boundaries
and countries. The people shall arise against you with the most bitter hatred,
opposition and envy. Swords of persecution and curses shall be thrown at you by
all the nations. The wind of tests and trials shall fiercely blow and thereby
the weak trees, which are not firmly rooted in this wonderful vineyard, shall
be uprooted. But the trees which are strong, thriving and green will be
strengthened, their branches extended, their leaves opened, their appearance
beautified and their blossoms and fruits increased. I ask God to make thee one
of those firmly rooted trees and an extended branch in this most great
vineyard, and to make thy heart like unto a cup overflowing with His love in
every assemblage. Verily He is the Powerful, the Generous!
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)
December 19
Question: What is meant by “the Holy Spirit”?
Answer: By “the Holy Spirit” is meant the outpouring grace
of God and the effulgent rays that emanate from His Manifestation. Thus Christ
was the focal centre of the rays of the Sun of Truth, and from this mighty
centre—the reality of Christ—the grace of God shone upon the other mirrors
which were the realities of the Apostles.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Table talks in Akka, authenticated
by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the
Baha’i World Centre)
December 18
As regards the question of young children and of weak,
defenseless souls who are afflicted at the hands of the oppressor, in this a
great wisdom is concealed. The question is one of cardinal importance, but
briefly it may be stated that in the world to come a mighty recompense awaiteth
such souls. Much, indeed, might be said upon this theme, and upon how the
afflictions that they bear in life become a cause for them of such an
outpouring of Divine mercy and bestowal as is preferable to a hundred thousand
earthly comforts and to a world of growth and development in this transitory
abode; but, if possible, God willing, all this will be explained to thee in
detail and by word of mouth when thou arrivest here.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a
Tablet, New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the
Baha’i World Center)
December 17
As to thy question: “To whom should we turn?”—turn thou to
the Ancient Beauty. God willing, a copy of His blessed portrait will in due
course be despatched to thee so that when offering prayer thou mayest turn
thyself in spirit towards that Holy Likeness, and not towards some mere figment
of the imagination. Know thou, however, that at no time should His blessed
portrait be hung in the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet, New
resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World
Center)
December 16
It may be that letters addressed to the women believers do
indeed contain certain passages written by way of encouragement, but the
purpose of such passages is to show that, in this wondrous Dispensation,
certain women have outshone certain men—not that all women have excelled all
men! The members of the Spiritual Assembly should do all they can to give
encouragement to the women. In this Dispensation one should not think in terms
of “men” and “women”: all are under the shadow of the Word of God and, as they
strive more diligently, so shall their reward be greater—be they men or women
or the frailest of people.... As for the large number of Tablets addressed to
women enjoining them to teach the Cause: since the letters arriving in the Holy
Land come for the most part from women, and only rarely from men, it is natural
that women should be written to more frequently than men....
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet, New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of
the Baha’i World Center)
December 15
After the death of Christ the Apostles were troubled and
diverged in their thoughts and opinions; later they became steadfast and
united. At Pentecost they gathered together, detached themselves from the
world, forsook their own desires, renounced all earthly comfort and happiness,
sacrificed body and soul to their Beloved, left their homes, took leave of all
their cares and belongings, and even forgot their own existence. Then was
divine assistance vouchsafed and the power of the Holy Spirit manifested. The
spirituality of Christ triumphed and the love of God took hold. On that day
they received divine confirmations, and each departed in a different direction
to teach the Cause of God and unloosed his tongue to set forth the proofs and
testimonies.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some
Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Center)
December 14
Question: It is recorded in the Gospels that the Holy Spirit
descended upon the Apostles. What was the manner and meaning of this descent?
Answer: The descent of the Holy Spirit is not like the
entrance of air into the human body. It is a metaphor and an analogy rather
than a literal image or account. That which is intended is like the descent of
the sun into a mirror, that is, when its splendour is reflected therein.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Table
talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014
revised translation by the Baha’i World Center)
December 13
This highly accomplished man [Mishkín-Qalam] first heard of
the Cause of God in Iṣfáhán, and the result was that he set out to find
Bahá’u’lláh. He crossed the great distances, measured out the miles, climbing
mountains, passing over deserts and over the sea, until at last he came to
Adrianople. Here he reached the heights of faith and assurance; here he drank
the wine of certitude. He responded to the summons of God, he attained the
presence of Bahá’u’lláh, he ascended to that apogee where he was received and
accepted. By now he was reeling to and fro like a drunkard in his love for God,
and because of his violent desire and yearning, his mind seemed to wander. He
would be raised up, and then cast down again; he was as one distracted. He
spent some time under the sheltering grace of Bahá’u’lláh, and every day new
blessings were showered upon him. Meanwhile he produced his splendid
calligraphs; he would write out the Most Great Name, Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá, O Thou
Glory of the All-Glorious, with marvelous skill, in many different forms, and
would send them everywhere.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk; ‘Memorials of the
Faithful’)
December 12
…the loved ones of God, [must] laboriously, with the waters
of their striving, tend and nourish and foster this tree of hope. In whatsoever
land they dwell, let them with a whole heart befriend and be companions to
those who are either close to them, or far removed. Let them, with qualities
like unto those of heaven, promote the institutions and the religion of God.
Let them never lose heart, never be despondent, never feel afflicted. The more
antagonism they meet, the more let them show their own good faith; the more
torments and calamities they have to face, the more generously let them pass
round the bounteous cup. Such is the spirit which will become the life of the
world, such is the spreading light at its heart: and he who may be and do other
than this is not worthy to serve at the Holy Threshold of the Lord.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
December 11
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm!
It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be
steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast in the Cause of the Light
which hath shone forth unto the world with great brilliancy!
O maid-servant of God! Verily, Mary, the Magdalene, was a
villager, but she kept firm in the Cause of Christ and confirmed the apostles
at the time she declared to them (thus): “Verily, Christ is alive and eternal
and death did not overtake Him; and verily, the foundation of His religion is
not shaken by His crucifixion at the hand of the oppressors!” By this her face
is eternally shining from the horizon of guidance.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Tablets of
‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)
December 10
…praise God for that He chose thee to love Him and elected
thee to spread His fragrances. He selected thee from among the women of the
world, so that thou become a flame to the fire of His love, a sign of the
Kingdom of His Grace and a summoner to His Name, in humbleness and meekness,
invocation and supplication to God.
Verily I ask God to protect thee from the waves of tests and
storms of trial until thou becomest firm in the Cause of thy Lord—a firmness
whereby thou be enabled to withstand all nations and peoples. When thou art
thus confirmed by God, with firmness and solidity in His Covenant among the
people, thou wilt see the hosts of the Kingdom shelter thee from all sides with
banners whereunto all heads bow.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol.
2)
December 9
O ye that are enamoured of the divine Beauty! O ye that are
enraptured by the true Beloved! In this day when the fierce gales or tests and
trials have encompassed the world, and
fear and trembling have agitated the planet, ye must appear above the
horizon of unwavering constancy with
shining faces and radiant brows in such wise that the gloom of terror and confusion may be entirely obliterated and the
light of certitude may shine resplendent in the
luminous skies.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Give Me Thy Grace to Serve Thy Loved Ones’,
prepared by the International Teaching Centre for the Continental Counsellors
and their Auxiliaries, May 2018)
December 8
The same questioner said: “I have read much of Tolstoy and I
see a parallel between his teachings and yours. In one of his books he speaks
of the Enigma of Life, and describes how life is wasted in our endeavour to
find the Key. But Tolstoy goes on to say: ‘There is a man in Persia who holds
the secret.’”
“Yes,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “I received a letter from Tolstoy,
and in it he said that he wished to write a book upon Bahá’u’lláh.”
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Notes of conversations; ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London’)
December 7
As I stand here tonight and look upon this assembly, I am
reminded curiously of a beautiful bouquet of violets gathered together in
varying colors, dark and light. This is an evidence and indication that the
United States of America is a just and free government, for I see black and
white seated together in perfect harmony and agreement. Hearts are united. This
just government makes such a meeting possible. You should thank God continually
that you enjoy the security and protection of a government which furthers your
development and rules with impartial equity and equality toward all, even as a
father; for in the human world there is no greater blessing.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, 23 April 1912, Washington D.C.; ‘The Promulgation of Universal
Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States
and Canada in 1912’)
December 6
O maid-servant of God! Everything of importance in this
world demands the close attention of its seeker. The one in pursuit of anything
must undergo difficulties and hardships until the object in view is attained
and the great success is obtained. This is the case of things pertaining to the
world. How much higher is that which concerns the Supreme Concourse! That Cause
involves every favor, glory and eternal bliss in the world of God. The seeker
after the great guidance and eternal happiness necessarily will encounter
difficulties. He must be patient under such circumstances. The chosen believers
of the past quaffed the chalice of suffering and sank deep in the ocean of
trials until they attained to that blessed station and sublime beatitude.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha vol. 2)
December 5
Speak thou no word of politics. Except to speak well of
them, make thou no mention of the earth’s kings, and the worldly governments
thereof.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter
dated Dec. 1, 2019 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to all
National Spiritual Assemblies)
December 4
Physical nearness or remoteness is of no importance; the
essential fact is the spiritual affinity and ideal nearness Judas Iscariot was for a long time favored in
the holy court of His Holiness Christ, yet he was entirely far and remote;
while Paul, the apostle, was in close embrace with His Holiness. - ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Tablets of `Abdu’lBahá, vol. 3)
December 3
... change is a necessary quality and an essential attribute
of this world, and of time and place.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Cited in 'Messages from the
Universal House of Justice, 1963 -1986'; The Compilation of Compilations,
vol. III, Cultural Diversity in the Age of Maturity)
December 2
The greatness and glory of most of these Letters of the
Living resides solely in the fact that they professed their faith at the very
beginning. Among them and in terms of importance, a few souls occupy a primary
position—Mullá Husayn, Quddús, and Táhirih; a few other blessed souls occupy a
secondary position; and the rest are honoured solely for having believed in the
very beginning—two of them even, like Judas Iscariot, recanted their faith
later.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, new resources prepared by the Baha’i World
Center, 2019; Baha’i Reference Library)
December 1
…Siyyid Káẓim explicitly specified, in the preamble of his
book “Sharḥ-iQaṣídih”, the name of Bahá’u’lláh:
“Praise be to God Who hath adorned the preamble of the book
of His Essence with the mystery of distinction, the ornament of that Point
wherefrom the Há is manifested, with neither assimilation nor separation,
through the Alif.”
To fully explain this expression to you would take a long
time, since you are unfamiliar with such words and expressions, and were I to
do so it would fill an entire book. But
since time is short, I will briefly provide a word-for-word translation [That
is, from Arabic into Persian] so that you will understand the general
meaning.
He says: Praise be to
God who has adorned the book of existence with the mystery of distinction
through degrees, for it is through such differences that the world of existence
is adorned. If all things were of one kind and there were no distinctions,
existence would be imperfect. The realm of God and the realm of creation, the
realm above and the realm below, the realm of truth and the realm of illusion:
All these distinctions are among the inherent requirements of existence. He
then says that the book of existence is adorned with that Point wherefrom the
letter Há’ appears and the letter Alif is manifested. And in the same book he
explains in numerous passages that the Point is the letter Bá’. And when the
letters Bá’, Há’, and Alif are brought together it makes “Bahá.”
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, new resources prepared by the Baha’i World Center, 2019; Baha’i
Reference Library)
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