February 28

Another friend asked, "In the Tablets it is stated that we must be severed and detached. In another place it is stated that we must learn a trade or profession. Do not these two statements contradict each other?"

‘Abdu'l-Bahá replied, "In the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, it is incumbent upon every soul to acquire a trade and an occupation. For example, I know how to weave or make a mat, and you know some other trade. This, in itself is an act of worship, provided that it is conducted on the basis of utmost honesty and faithfulness. And this is the cause of prosperity. Yet, in spite of being so occupied, if the heart is not chained and tied to this world, and is not troubled by current events, neither hindered by wealth from rendering service to mankind, nor grieved because of poverty, - then this is human perfection. Otherwise in a state of poverty, to manifest generosity and in a state of weakness to claim justice - this can easily be said, but it is not a proof of man's attainments and alertness." 

- `Abdu'l-Baha  (From an article written by Dr. Z. Baghdadi entitled "‘Abdu'l-Bahá in America", published in "Star of the West", Vol. 19, No. 7, p. 219; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, The Arts and Crafts)

February 27

Glory be unto Thee, O God! for Thou hast opened the Doors of the Kingdom of Grandeur and Majesty before the faces of Thy beloved ones; overshadowed them with the wide spreading Tree of Thy Mercifulness; stirred them into cheerfulness by the Breezes of Acceptance from the Garden of Thy Singleness and caused the downpour of pure Waters from the heaven of Thy Generosity, through which Thou didst cleanse the hearts of Thy friends. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 14, November 23, 1914)

February 26

He [Baha’u’llah] was most generous, giving abundantly to the poor. None who came to Him were turned away. The doors of His house were open to all. He always had many guests. This unbounded generosity was conducive to greater astonishment from the fact that He sought neither position nor prominence. In commenting upon this His friends said He would become impoverished, for His expenses were many and His wealth becoming more and more limited. "Why is he not thinking of his own affairs?" they inquired of each other; but some who were wise declared, "This personage is connected with another world; he has something sublime within him that is not evident now; the day is coming when it will be manifested." In truth, the Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak one, a shelter for every fearing one, kind to every indigent one, lenient and loving to all creatures. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha'  (From a talk, 18 April 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’)

February 25

The love of God has brought us together, and this is the best of means and motive. Every other bond of friendship is limited in effectiveness, but fellowship based upon the love of God is unlimited, everlasting, divine and radiant. Therefore, we must be thankful to God for uniting us in love and agreement, praise Him for creating such affinity between us that those from the faraway Orient may associate with the beloved ones of the West in the utmost fragrance. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 18 November 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’)

February 24

This phenomenal world will not remain in an unchanging condition even for a short while. Second after second it undergoes change and transformation. Every foundation will finally become collapsed; every glory and splendor will at last vanish and disappear, but the Kingdom of God is eternal and the heavenly sovereignty and majesty will stand firm, everlasting. Hence in the estimation of a wise man the mat in the Kingdom of God is preferable to the throne of the government of the world.

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

February 23

Regarding thy question about consultation of a father with his son, or a son with his father, in matters of trade and commerce, consultation is one of the fundamental elements of the foundation of the Law of God. Such consultation is assuredly acceptable, whether between father and son, or with others. There is nothing better than this. Man must consult in all things for this will lead him to the depths of each problem and enable him to find the right solution. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (From a Tablet; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, Family Life)

February 22

This period of time is the Promised Age, the assembling of the human race to the “Resurrection Day”, and now is the great “Day of Judgement”. Soon the whole world, as in spring-time, will change its garb. The turning and falling of the autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of the winter-time is over. The new year hath appeared and the spiritual spring-time is at hand. The black earth is becoming a verdant garden; the deserts and mountains are teeming with red flowers; from the borders of wilderness the tall grasses are standing like advance guards before the cypress and jessamine trees; while the birds are singing among the rose branches like angels in the highest heavens, announcing the glad tidings of the approach of that spiritual spring, and the sweet music of their voices is causing the real essence of all things to move and quiver. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 19, March 2, 1916)

February 21

A hundred thousand glad tidings be upon ye that the Sun of the Reality of the Beauty of Abha hath shone forth from the Horizon of the Contingent Being and hath illumined the regions with the lights of the Most Great Guidance. The realities of the Old Testament and the Gospel are already fulfilled and the Mysteries of the Heavenly Books have become manifest. This is the century of the Merciful One and the Period of Joy and Gladness. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 1, March 21, 1916)

February 20

Servitude to God lieth in servitude to the friends. One must be the essence of humility and the embodiment of meekness. One must become evanescence itself and be healed of every disease of the self, in order to become worthy of thraldom to the Threshold of the Almighty. 

- 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)

February 19

I swear this by the beauty of the Lord: whensoever I hear good of the friends, my heart filleth up with joy; but whensoever I find even a hint that they are on bad terms one with another, I am overwhelmed by grief. Such is the condition of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Then judge from this where your duty lieth. 

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

February 18

O beloved of the Lord! If any soul speak ill of an absent one, the only result will clearly be this: he will dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make them indifferent. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. If any individual should speak ill of one who is absent, it is incumbent on his hearers, in a spiritual and friendly manner, to stop him, and say in effect: would this detraction serve any useful purpose? Would it please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour of the friends, promote the holy Faith, support the Covenant, or be of any possible benefit to any soul? No, never! On the contrary, it would make the dust to settle so thickly on the heart that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes would no longer behold the light of truth. 

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

February 17

To man, the Essence of God is incomprehensible, so also are the worlds beyond this, and their condition. It is given to man to obtain knowledge, to attain to great spiritual perfection, to discover hidden truths and to manifest even the attributes of God; but still man cannot comprehend the Essence of God. Where the ever-widening circle of man’s knowledge meets the spiritual world a Manifestation of God is sent to mirror forth His splendour. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Notes of conversations; ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London’)

February 16

O thou who art advancing toward God!... Verily, thy Lord hath chosen thee for His love, elected thee for His knowledge and selected thee for entering the Paradise of Baha, so that thou mayest attain to the mightiest bliss and greatest honor: It is no other than the Light which is shining upon hearts and sights and the Spirit which is thrilling and flowing within veins and nerves!

Verily, thou hast attained thereto, for thou hast acknowledged the Oneness of God and His Singleness, and turned unto His Face, the lights of which are shining from the horizon of the unseen, upon all regions! 

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

February 15

The glorification of God does not consist in merely saying that God is great. That is only verbal and there is no virtue in it. To glorify God means that the reality deposited within the human temple, the reality which is the image and likeness of God, shall become revealed through man. That reality consists in the virtues and perfections of the human world. It consists in the knowledge of all truth. When such lights become manifest from him, then he has indeed glorified God. Otherwise, the glorification of God is only a verbal ceremony. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a Talk at Theosophical Society, San Francisco, October 11, 1912; Unpublished Manuscript by Ella Cooper)

February 14

For we, the followers of the Blessed Beauty, should all be engaged in the service of the Cause of God, and become sources of guidance to humanity. Thou shouldst, if thou deemest it advisable and possible, proceed forthwith to organize a meeting of dignitaries. And when thy distinguished guests have assembled, speak to them about the Cause. Thou shouldst likewise advise the friends to arrange for another meeting with these same persons to be held one evening and to be addressed by them. This is a great service that I am entrusting to thee, and I pray to God that He may grant thee His assistance and confirmation, and bestow His blessings upon thy family. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet to an individual believer - translated from the Persian; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Teaching Prominent People)

February 13

When your heart is filled with the love of God there will be no room for sorrow. There will only be love and happiness. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Mrs. Crockett; Star of the West, vol. 1, no. 9, August 20, 1910)

February 12

Man cannot free himself from the onslaught of vain and selfish desires save through the confirming grace of the Holy Spirit. 

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

February 11

The essence of baptism is purification by repentance. John admonished and exhorted the people, caused them to repent, and then baptized them. It is evident then that this purification is a symbol of repentance from all sin, as though one were saying: “O God! Just as my body has been cleansed and purified from material defilements, so cleanse and purify my spirit from the defilements of the world of nature, which are unworthy of Thy divine threshold.” Repentance is the return from rebelliousness to obedience. It is after experiencing remoteness and deprivation from God that man repents and purifies himself. Thus, this purification is a symbol saying: “O God! Render my heart goodly and pure, and cleanse and sanctify it from all save Thy love.” 

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

February 10

If the holy Manifestations had not appeared, all humanity would have remained in a state of animality, if not worse. If the children are not educated and are not trained in schools, they will remain ignorant. If plains and hills are left to their natural state, they will turn into jungles and forests which will not bear sweet and luscious fruit, but when the gardener takes control, flowers bloom, fruits appear and prosperity sheds its blessings. Creation is a dreary forest full of thorns under the yoke of nature and the holy Manifestations are the divine gardeners and the supreme educators of the world of man who come to promote the progress of the world of existence in order that the trees of beings may continue to be verdant, may burst into fresh foliage, may yield good fruits and may adorn the gardens of the human realities. This divine bestowal of this heavenly education is continuous. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, December 4, New York, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)

February 9

…man is possessed of two realities, as it were: a reality connected with the senses which is shared in common with the animal, and another reality which is conscious and ideal in character. This latter is the collective reality and the discoverer of mysteries. That which discovers the realities of things undoubtedly is not of the elemental substances. It is distinct from them. For mortality and disintegration are the properties inherent in compositions and are referable to things which are subject to sense perceptions, but the collective reality in man, not being so subject, is the discoverer of things. Therefore, it is real, eternal and does not have to undergo changes and transformations. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 9 November 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’)

February 8

One’s conduct must be like the conduct of Paul, and one’s faith similar to that of Peter. This musk-scented breeze shall perfume the nostrils of the people of the world, and this spirit shall resuscitate the dead. 

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

February 7

…like unto the morn, the light of the Sun of Truth hath been shed abroad. Effort must be made that slumbering souls may be awakened, the heedless become vigilant, and that the divine teachings, which constitute the spirit of this age, may reach the ears of the people of the world, may be propagated in the press and set forth with brilliance and eloquence in the assemblages of men. 

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

February 6

The Covenant of God is like unto a vast and fathomless ocean. A billow shall rise and surge therefrom and shall cast ashore all accumulated foam. 

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

February 5

Praise be to God that the highest wish entertained by heedful souls is the exaltation of the Word of God and the propagation of divine fragrances. This is, verily, the secure and firm foundation. 

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

February 4

Today, every wise, vigilant and foresighted person is awakened, and to him are unveiled the mysteries of the future which show that nothing save the power of the Covenant is able to stir and move the heart of humanity, just as the New and Old Testaments propounded throughout all regions the Cause of Christ and were the pulsating power in the body of the human world. A tree that hath a root shall bear fruit, while the tree that hath none, no matter how high and hardy it may be, will eventually wither, perish and become but a log fit for the fire. 

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

February 3

…the dearest wish of this wronged one is that the friends be spiritual of heart and illumined of mind… 

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

February 2

…if His [Baha’u’llah’s] teachings be not enforced, the antagonism between the Black and the White in America will give rise to great calamities. The salve for this wound and the remedy for this disease are none other than the breaths of holiness. If the hearts be attracted to the heavenly bounties, surely the White and Black will, in a short time, according to the teachings of Baha’u’llah, put away hatred and animosity and establish love and fellowship. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (From a newly translated Tablet; compilation: ‘The Pupil of the Eye, African Americans in the World Order of Baha’u’llah’) 

February 1

A Baha'i is known by the attributes manifested by him, not by his name; he is recognized by his character, not by his person. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; quoted in an open letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iran about the Banning of the Baha'i Administration; included in Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)