September 11

We cannot state that there could ever be a time, either in the past or in the future, when the bounties of God did not flow down upon the world of humanity. How can we limit the Divine Virtues to any special period of history? The virtues of God are as drops falling unrestrainedly from a mighty ocean — how are we to hold them back? How can we limited beings know anything of the Unlimited God? Or we finite beings of the Infinite God? How shall man dare to settle a point when the Divine Virtues shall cease? An ignorant man, who was devoid of any insight, might imagine such a cessation. How could he comprehend the Reality, the Unsearchable? Man receives the bounty of God all his life: the bounties of God are the source of life. The bestowals of the Almighty are infinite; a wise man will never try to limit them. Limitation is the property of the mind of man.

That which is contained in the Holy Books is full of mystery, full of meaning. Those who do not understand, take it in a literal way: I hope that you will investigate the reality of the meanings and understand. For example, Christ said: “I am the bread which came down from Heaven; whoever partakes, will receive Everlasting Life.” By the Bread of Heaven Christ meant the Heavenly Benediction. He who realises the Divine Virtues, and takes for himself a goodly portion of the Heavenly Benediction, shall have eternal life. The Jews did not understand this: so they said, “How can we eat the flesh of this man? Can we become cannibals? How can he claim to have come down from Heaven? We know he was born in Nazareth.” Therefore the Jews arose in opposition to Christ. Then again, the Vision of St. John in the Revelation is symbolic. Likewise the description of the bride and bridegroom in the writings of Solomon. In short, I hope and pray that each of you may discover the Reality of the Symbols and the mystic meanings of the Holy Books. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, circa 27 December 1912, London, England; included in ‘A Supplement to ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913’ by Adib Masumian; Baha’i Library Online)

September 9

It is evident that prejudices arising from adherence to religious forms and imitation of ancestral beliefs have hindered the progress of humanity thousands of years. How many wars and battles have been fought, how much division, discord and hatred have been caused by this form of prejudice! But inasmuch as this century is a century of the revelation of reality—praise be to God!—the thoughts of men are being directed toward the welfare and unity of humanity. Daily the mirage of imitations is passing away, and the ocean of truth is surging more tumultuously. All the existing nations had a divine foundation of truth or reality originally, which was intended to be conducive to the unity and accord of mankind, but the light of that reality gradually became obscured. The darkness of superstitions and imitations came and took its place, binding the world of humanity in the chains and fetters of ignorance. Enmity arose among men, increasing to such an extent that nation strove against nation in hatred and violence. War has been a religious and political human heritage.

Now it is enough! We must investigate reality. We must put away these superstitions. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, 21 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’)

September 7

O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom! Thy letter was received… I trust in the favor of the True One, that thy sisters and brothers may likewise attain, and that thou mayest become confirmed with the confirmation of the Holy Spirit, in order that thou mayest be the cause of teaching many souls, and guide every person with whom thou hast association and intercourse.

I ask from God that thou mayest be the cause of the awakening and mindfulness of thy father and mother, and that many of thy friends may rend asunder the veils of superstition and behold the Light of Truth.

O thou advancer toward the Kingdom! Endeavor thou day by day to increase thy yearning and attraction, so that the attitude of supplication and prayer may be realized more often.

If we do not meet in this physical world, I ask from God that we may meet in the realm of vision, and that day by day the revelation of the Kingdom may become greater. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha ('Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 3')

September 5

I hope that thou shalt discover the hidden significances of divine verses, and through the bounty of the Almighty, thou mayest become informed of the concealed mystery and recondite symbol of the stone [1] of the Most Great Name. These mysteries can neither be written nor uttered. Whenever the eye of insight is opened, the reality of meanings is understood. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 3)

[1] Baha’i ring symbol

September 3

Now observe that it is education that brings East and West under man’s dominion, produces all these marvellous crafts, promotes these mighty arts and sciences, and gives rise to these new discoveries and undertakings. Were it not for an educator, the means of comfort, civilization, and human virtues could in no wise have been acquired. If a man is left alone in a wilderness where he sees none of his own kind, he will undoubtedly become a mere animal. It is therefore clear that an educator is needed…

It followeth from this clear argument that human society requireth the care and training of a true Educator and that human souls stand in need of a power that can regulate, bind, restrain, deter, encourage, impel, and attract them. For unless the garden of creation be tended by a loving gardener, sustained by the manifold grace of the one true God, and administered by the just policies of the government, it will never acquire vitality and grace, nor will it prosper and flourish.

This power to deter and restrain, to govern and regulate, to lead and impel is of two kinds. The first agency of protection and deterrence is political power, which pertaineth to the physical world. It ensureth the material well-being of humanity; preserveth the life, property, and honour of all; and is the source of the greatness and virtue of this noble race. The centre of the operation of this political power and the pivot of the circle of this divine bounty are the just sovereigns, faithful trustees, wise ministers, and courageous commanders.

The other educator and regulator of the world of humanity is the sanctified power of the spirit, the divinely revealed Scriptures, the Prophets of God, the heavenly souls, and the divinely learned. For these repositories of God’s revelation and daysprings of His inspiration educate the hearts and souls of humanity, rectify their characters, refine their conduct, and inspire the righteous among them. That is, these sanctified beings, even as a force born of the spirit, deliver the souls of men from the evils of a corrupt character, the darkness of reprehensible attributes, and the defilement of the realm of existence, and thus illumine them with the light of human virtues, divine attributes, and heavenly characteristics and qualities, so that the shining truth of the words “Hallowed be the Lord, the most excellent of all creators” and the full glory of the utterance “We created man in the most excellent of forms” may be realized within the sacred reality of man. It is through the liberal effusions of the grace of these daysprings of the signs and verses of God that pure and subtle human realities become the focal centre of the blessings of the All-Merciful. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Compilation: ‘Bahá’í Sacred Writings: A comprehensive collection of selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Writings and utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, representing the range of the Bahá’í teachings”, prepared by the Baha’i World Center, July 2025)

September 1

O ye beloved and ideal friends of God! The divine voice from the invisible Kingdom of Abha is reaching those who are asleep in the valley of unconsciousness with the call:— O ye heedless, awake! O ye drunken, be sober! O ye dead, arise! O ye wilted, be revived and full of vigor! O ye dumb, speak! O ye silent, cry out!

The voice is the melody of the Covenant, and the effulgences are from the Light of the bountiful bestowals of the horizons. It is the breeze of the meadows of singleness that is blowing and the effusion of the fragrances of the rose gardens that are wafting; it is the candle of the favor of the Ancient Beauty (Baha'u'llah) that is lighted in every assembly; it is the outpouring of the clouds of mercy that is bestowing freshness to every garden and lawn; it is the verse of oneness that is uttered in the glorious Book, and the tablets of the unique Lord of the Kingdom are unfolding the mysteries of "they are clothed by the new creation"; incline your ears in order that ye may hear the melody of joy, and open your eyes to see the lights.

The favor of the Truth is abundant and His ancient bestowal is uninterrupted. His cycle is all light. His century fulfills all the signs. Be not hopeless neither disappointed. It is the day of hope and the century of the Glorious God. It is the first resurrection and the dispensation of the Beauty of Abha!—May my soul be a ransom to His Blessed Threshold. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 15, December 12, 1917)