September 30

It is about twenty-three years that the fragrances of God have been diffused in America, but no adequate and befitting motion has been realized, and no great acclamation and acceleration has been witnessed. Now it is my hope that through the heavenly power, the fragrances of the Merciful, the attraction of consciousness, the celestial outpourings, the heavenly cohorts and the gushing forth of the fountain of divine love, the believers of God may arise and in a short time the greatest good may unveil her countenance, the Sun of Reality may shine forth with such intensity that the darkness of the world of nature may become entirely dispelled and driven away; from every corner a most wonderful melody may be raised, the morning birds may break into such a song that the world of humanity may be quickened and moved, the solid bodies may become liquefied, and the souls who are like unto adamantine rocks may open their wings and through the heat of the love of God fly heavenward. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of the Divine Plan’)

September 29

Among the Shí‘ihs it is universally acknowledged that He [the Báb] never studied in any school, nor acquired learning from any teacher. To this the people of Shíráz, each and all, bear witness. Nevertheless, He suddenly appeared before the people, endowed with consummate knowledge, and though but a merchant, confounded all the divines of Persia. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)

September 28

…man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with the perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

September 27

O thou son of the Kingdom! Consider the bounty of the Lord and the gifts of thy Creator. He hath chosen thee to love Him and selected thee from among His beings to know Him and distinguished thee particularly with the gift of dazzling light through which the faces of the righteous will shine. Verily I say unto thee that this gift now signifieth a globule and a date stone which shall spring up and grow until it becometh a tree of solid root and the branches thereof will extend to the East and West. Then the tongues shall utter: “This is naught but a great bounty!” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

September 26

At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall have developed the healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make provision for simple foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as slaves to their lustful appetites, it is certain that the incidence of chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much improved. This is destined to come about. In the same way, in the character, the conduct and the manners of men, universal modifications will be made. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

September 25

The teachings of Baha'u'llah are the breaths of the Holy Spirit which create men anew. Personal amity, both in private and public, is emphasized and insisted upon. Baha'is believe that mankind must love mankind; that universal amity must be practiced; that dead dogmas must be thrown away; that we are at the threshold of the Era of Interpendence; that we must forget prejudice and that universal love must become the dominant note of the twentieth century. The tree of humanity is one and is planted by God. The origin is one and the end must also be one. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 20, no. 1, April 1929)

September 24

As for the Báb —may my soul be His sacrifice!—it was at a young age, that is, in the twenty-fifth year of His blessed life, that He arose to proclaim His Cause. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)

September 23

…when the constitution is in a state of equilibrium, there is no doubt that whatever is relished will be beneficial to health. Observe how an animal will graze in a field where there are a hundred thousand kinds of herbs and grasses, and how, with its sense of smell, it snuffeth up the odours of the plants, and tasteth them with its sense of taste; then it consumeth whatever herb is pleasurable to these senses, and benefiteth therefrom. Were it not for this power of selectivity, the animals would all be dead in a single day; for there are a great many poisonous plants, and animals know nothing of the pharmacopoeia. And yet, observe what a reliable set of scales they have, by means of which to differentiate the good from the injurious. Whatever constituent of their body hath decreased, they can rehabilitate by seeking out and consuming some plant that hath an abundant store of that diminished element; and thus the equilibrium of their bodily components is re-established, and they are rid of their disease. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

September 22

As to those things published in journals against thee: Thou shouldst not be grieved nor sorry therefor, because thousands of journals have written traducing Abdul-Baha, have given false and base accusations and awful calumnies. Notwithstanding these he was neither troubled nor grieved thereby; nay, rather these cause me to exert myself more than usual in the path of God and to drink the cup of sacrifice and to boil in the fire of His love. Man must seek to gain the acceptance of God and not that of the different classes of men. If one is praised and chosen by God, the accusation of all the creatures will cause no loss to him; and if the man is not accepted in the threshold of God, the praise and admiration of all men will be of no use to him. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

September 21

During the Middle Ages, while Europe had sunk to the lowest depths of barbarity, the Arabs excelled all other nations of the earth in sciences and crafts, mathematics, civilization, governance, and other arts. The Educator and Prime Mover of the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Founder of the civilization of human perfections among those contending clans, was an illiterate Man, Muhammad. Was this illustrious Man a universal Educator or not? Let us be fair. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)

September 20

The world of humanity is like unto one kindred and one family. Because of the climatic conditions of the zones through the passing ages colors have become different. In the torrid zone on account of the intensity of the effect of the sun throughout the ages the dark race appeared. In the frigid zone on account of the severity of the cold and the ineffectiveness of the heat the white race appeared. In the temperate zone the yellow, brown and red races came into existence. But in reality mankind is one race. Because it is one race unquestionably there must be union and harmony and no separation or discord. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 20, no. 1, April 1929)

September 19

…the station of searching after truth and seeking the knowledge of the real—that station wherein the sore athirst longs for the water of life and the struggling fish reaches the sea, wherein the ailing soul seeks the true physician and partakes of divine healing, wherein the lost caravan finds the path of truth and the aimless and wandering ship attains the shore of salvation…

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)

September 18

As regards the teachers, they must completely divest themselves from the old garments and be invested with a new garment. According to the statement of Christ, they must attain to the station of rebirth—that is, whereas in the first instance they were born from the womb of the mother, this time they must be born from the womb of the world of nature. Just as they are now totally unaware of the experiences of the fetal world, they must also forget entirely the defects of the world of nature. They must be baptized with the water of life, the fire of the love of God and the breaths of the Holy Spirit; be satisfied with little food, but take a large portion from the heavenly table. They must disengage themselves from temptation and covetousness, and be filled with the spirit. Through the effect of their pure breath, they must change the stone into the brilliant ruby and the shell into pearl. Like unto the cloud of vernal shower, they must transform the black soil into the rose garden and orchard. They must make the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the extinguished one enkindled and set aglow, and the dead quickened. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of the Divine Plan’)

September 17

…strive ye that the Collective Center of the sacred religions—for the inculcation of which all the Prophets were manifested and which is no other than the spirit of the divine teachings—be spread in all parts of America, so that each one of you may shine forth from the horizon of reality like unto the morning star, divine illumination may overcome the darkness of nature, and the world of humanity may become enlightened. This is the most great work! Should you become confirmed therein, this world will become another world, the surface of the earth will become the delectable paradise, and eternal Institutions be founded. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of the Divine Plan’)

September 16

Consider how the religions of God served the world of humanity! How the religion of Torah became conducive to the glory and honor and progress of the Israelitish nation! How the breaths of the Holy Spirit of His Holiness Christ created affinity and unity between divergent communities and quarreling families! How the sacred power of His Holiness Muhammad became the means of uniting and harmonizing the contentious tribes and the different clans of Peninsular Arabia—to such an extent that one thousand tribes were welded into one tribe; strife and discord were done away with; all of them unitedly and with one accord strove in advancing the cause of culture and civilization, and thus were freed from the lowest degree of degradation, soaring toward the height of everlasting glory! Is it possible to find a greater Collective Center in the phenomenal world than this? In comparison to this divine Collective Center, the national collective center, the patriotic collective center, the political collective center and the cultural and intellectual collective center are like child’s play! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of the Divine Plan’)

September 15

One reason that people despair of the world of religion is this very matter of superstitions and imitations practiced by religious leaders. When intelligent and learned people see these imitations and customs as being contrary to reason and knowledge they forsake the divine religion and are not aware that these are idle fancies of the leaders and have nothing to do with divine principles. The foundations of divine religion do not negate sound reason and true science. The principles of divine religion do not contradict knowledge and insight, except for some principles and minutiae of the law which were given according to the exigencies of the time and age. Of course, the second or social laws suited to the Mosaic dispensation and useful for the Jewish people at that time are now purposeless and ineffective and seem futile, but they were pertinent and useful at the time.

Now, praise be to God, Bahá'u'lláh has solved these difficulties. All His teachings and laws are in keeping with the spirit of this age and the needs of the people. And greatest of all is the abandonment of religious superstitions and dogmas and the conformity of spiritual matters with scientific and rational arguments

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, November 13, New York, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)

September 14

The Master described for the friends His journey to California and His talks at the university and at gatherings in San Francisco. He said:

"As they were delivered in scientific terms and with rational arguments, none could deny them and not a single voice was raised in opposition. In fact, in the gatherings like that at the university where one hundred and eighty professors and teachers and eighteen hundred students were present together with other notable people, if one had spoken using religious terminology and expressing religious opinions and imitations which are wholly contrary to science and reason, none would have paid any attention; rather, they would have scorned and mocked us." 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, November 13, New York, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)

September 13

It is very strange to see how 'illusion' has taken possession of the hearts of men while 'Reality' has no sway whatsoever. For example, racial difference is an optical illusion! It is a figment of imagination, yet how deep seated and powerful its influence! No one can deny the fact that mankind in toto are the progeny of Adam; that they are offshoots of one primal stock, yet the optical illusion has so radically misrepresented this plain truth that they have divided and subdivided themselves into so many tribes and nations. Although many intelligent men amongst them know that this racial difference is an optical illusion, yet they all confess their inability to stand firm before its uncanny, invisible power. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 20, no. 1, April 1929)

September 12

Know all mankind of all nations, sects and tribes as your kith and kin. Consider not their deeds, but only God. Seek your reward from Him and not from them. Know the aged of all nations as your fathers, the juveniles as your brothers and the children as your own. No matter what lack of courtesy or what severe persecution or stern expressions of hate and unfathomable enmity you receive, you must have no excuse like the following: "So and so has spoken unkindly about me," "So and so has not done me justice," -- nay, rather you must have no excuse but live according to the Divine Teachings, whether humanity prove agreeable or disagreeable, whether humanity prove hateful or loving, whether it receives you or casts you out, so that perchance you may be assisted in hoisting the standard of peace and pitching the Tabernacle of Oneness and solidarity of the world of humanity -- so that this temporal life may ultimate in the Life Everlasting, and this darkness of ignorance which has pervaded the whole world may be converted into the illumination of guidance. So that material man may become celestial, and the earthly souls become the heavenly souls; that the blind may become perceptive, the deaf attentive, the ignorant wise, the dead arise, so that, in fact, the Kingdom of God in the world of humanity may pitch its Canopy and its Tabernacle in the utmost glory. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 5. No. 9, August 20, 1914)

September 11

It is my hope that you may prove yourselves to be the first servants of the realm of humanity, and the builders of the edifice of Divine Justice. That you may radiate the light of the Love of God to such an extent as to be able to remove entirely the gloom and darkness of hatred, bigotry and enmity from among humanity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 5. No. 9, August 20, 1914)

September 10

Were it not for the protecting power of the Covenant to guard the impregnable fort of the Cause of God, there would arise among the Bahá'ís, in one day, a thousand different sects as was the case in former ages. But in this Blessed Dispensation, for the sake of the permanency of the Cause of God and the avoidance of dissension amongst the people of God, the Blessed Beauty (may my soul be a sacrifice unto Him), has through the Supreme Pen written the Covenant and the Testament.... 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (Cited in "Bahá'í World Faith", The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Covenant)

September 9

God, who sees all hearts, knows how far our lives are the fulfilment of our words. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 8 November 1911, Paris, ‘Paris Talks’)

September 8

Let your actions cry aloud to the world that you are indeed Bahá’ís, for it is actions that speak to the world and are the cause of the progress of humanity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 8 November 1911, Paris, ‘Paris Talks’)

September 7

…we perceive that men are carried away by passion and selfishness, each man thinking only of what will benefit himself even if it means the ruin of his brother. They are all anxious to make their fortune and care little or nothing for the welfare of others. They are concerned about their own peace and comfort, while the condition of their fellows troubles them not at all.

Unhappily this is the road most men tread. But Bahá’ís must not be thus; they must rise above this condition. Actions must be more to them than words. By their actions they must be merciful and not merely by their words. They must on all occasions confirm by their actions what they proclaim in words. Their deeds must prove their fidelity, and their actions must show forth Divine light. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 8 November 1911, Paris, ‘Paris Talks’)

September 6

…there are men whose eyes are only open to physical progress and to the evolution in the world of matter. These men prefer to study the resemblance between their own physical body and that of the ape, rather than to contemplate the glorious affiliation between their spirit and that of God. This is indeed strange, for it is only physically that man resembles the lower creation, with regard to his intellect he is totally unlike it. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 5 November 1911, Paris, ‘Paris Talks’)

September 5

As for the spiritual perfections they are man’s birthright and belong to him alone of all creation. Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy. This spiritual longing and perception belongs to all men alike, and it is my firm conviction that the Western people possess great spiritual aspiration. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 5 November 1911, Paris, ‘Paris Talks’)

September 4

Truly, I say, in the erection of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Ishqabad the friends of God have laid the foundation of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity…

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 9, 1914)

September 3

In all the world of creation all the existent beings are in the utmost connection. Through this connection, mutual helpfulness and cooperation is realized. This mutual helpfulness and cooperation is the origin of the conservation of the forces of life. If for one instant this mutual helpfulness and cooperation were cut off from the sources and realities of things, all the existent beings and things would be thrown into confusion and chaos, and be reduced to nothingness and annihilation. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 9, 1914)

September 2

His holiness Baha’u’llah, fifty years ago spread broadcast His great Movement, proclaimed the benefits of international peace. This took place at a time when the thought was not in the minds of men, nor the words upon the tongues of the people. At the time He summoned people from all parts of the Orient. He addressed letters to the sovereigns of Europe, setting forth the results to accrue from the establishment of universal peace. He invited all to participate in a worlds arbitral court of justice, to be composed of representatives of every government in the world, the delegates thereto to be chosen and ratified by the governments. Thereto would be referred disputes between nations for settlement. In case any government or nation should prove rebellions concerning any decision of the court, the other nations should coalesce to force it into obedience. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 11, September 27, 1914)

September 1

Praise be to God: The United States has in reality made extraordinary progress; day by day they are advancing toward the ultimate goal! The material virtues of the people are many; now they must think of the ideal virtues, so that the highest of the perfections of humanity may illumine the regions of America. Among the highest virtues is universal peace, the oneness of humanity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 11, September 27, 1914)