February 28

Owing to the recent war and the great convulsion that ensued, souls that were fast asleep have been awakened, the heedless have become mindful, and the fame of the Divine Teachings hath been diffused throughout all regions. After fifty years, that which was promised in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Súriy-i-Haykal hath been fulfilled and realized, and the significance of the words addressed to Berlin hath become as apparent and manifest as the clear horizon. The mystery of the words of warning to Wilhelm hath been made evident, and the address to the “Spot situated between the two seas” hath become as manifest as the sun and moon in the heavens. The verse “the throne of tyranny hath, verily, been established upon thee” and the great prophecies and momentous happenings foretold by the Pen of the Most High have all come to pass. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet dated 30 July 1919, ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’, Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 26

O ye true friends! Day and night ‘Abdu’l-Bahá calleth his loved ones to mind, and with every breath he communeth with them and longeth to behold their blessed faces. I beseech the Lord of the worlds that they may all attain unto that which is meet and seemly and may succeed in wholly following the Law of God. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’, Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 24

Peter, who was the Rock (of the Christian dispensation), was firm and solid; but, in the moment of Christ’s deliverance, that Rock quaked a little, until the crowing of the cock was raised. I hope that thou wilt become, in steadfastness, so firm and so solid that thousands of deliverances would not cause thee to tremble.

This is the New Spirit and the uninterrupted assistance. When this is attained, the language will become eloquent and the utterance penetrating. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2) 

February 22

Have resignation and devotion and attraction and make thy heart empty of aught else save the love of Baha’. This is the state which was coveted by the near ones and this is a position which was longed for by the holy souls. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)

February 20

O thou speaker in the remembrance of God! Verily I say unto thee, O servant of God! The earth and what is therein are imaginations or reflections in mirrors or shades; but the bounty of the Kingdom and the gifts of the invisible world are the thoughts of the Merciful One, and the lordly radiances are immortal and constant and unending. Thou must depend upon these! Thou must depend unto these! Thou must depend upon these!

Be assured with the true assurance that, verily, dependence upon the Covenant of God is surrounded from all directions by those gifts and the angel hosts assist it on the right hand and on the left hand, and the power of the Holy spirit strengthens it in all circumstances and meets it with signs of splendor in the horizons.

Therefore, confirm the wavering minds in the path of God, and the feeble souls with the love of God. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 2)

February 18

I beseech God to graciously make of thy home a centre for the diffusion of the light of divine guidance, for the dissemination of the Words of God and for enkindling at all times the fire of love in the hearts of His faithful servants and maidservants.  Know thou of a certainty that every house wherein the anthem of praise is raised to the Realm of Glory in celebration of the Name of God is indeed a heavenly home, and one of the gardens of delight in the Paradise of God. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Family Life’, Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, March 2008)

February 16

The bulk of humanity now realiseth what a great calamity war is and how war turneth man into a ferocious animal, causing prosperous cities and villages to be reduced to ruins and the foundations of the human edifice to crumble. Now, since all men have been awakened and their ears are attentive, it is time for the promulgation of universal peace—a peace based on righteousness and justice—that mankind may not be exposed to further dangers in the future. Now is the dawn of universal peace, and the first streaks of its light are beginning to appear. We earnestly hope that its effulgent orb may shine forth and flood the East and the West with its radiance. The establishment of universal peace is not possible save through the power of the Word of God.... 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Peace’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Revised September 1990; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 14

Among the safeguards of the Holy Faith is the training of children, and this is among the weightiest of principles in all the Divine Teachings. Thus from the very beginning mothers must rear their infants in the cradle of good morals—for it is the mothers who are the first educators—so that, when the child cometh to maturity, he will prove to be endowed with all the virtues and qualities that are worthy of praise.

And further, according to the Divine commandments, every child must learn reading and writing, and acquire such branches of knowledge as are useful and necessary, as well as learning an art or skill. The utmost care must be devoted to these matters; any neglect of them, any failure to act on them, is not permissible. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Family Life’, Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, March 2008)

February 12

 

He is the Most Glorious.

O true servant of God! Gird up thy loins, set firm thy steps, exert a mighty effort, and enter the plane of sacrifice. Be swift in the path of God and seek an abode loftier than the heavens. The fleet-footed charger is at the ready, the vast arena is beckoning, the ball of good fortune is in play, and the mallet of divine confirmation is at hand. It is time to spur on thy steed and carry away the prize from the field of play. “I do as bidden and bring the message.” [1] Make haste, make haste, for time is short and the minstrel’s melody is nearing its end. If, at this feast, thou dost not clap thy hands, beat the drum, lift up thy voice, and sing out the songs of joy, when wilt thou then know blissful rapture and heavenly intoxication? 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’, Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

[1] Sa‘dí, a Persian poet.

February 10

The father must always endeavour to educate his son and to acquaint him with the heavenly teachings. He must give him advice and exhort him at all times, teach him praiseworthy conduct and character, enable him to receive training at school and to be instructed in such arts and sciences as are deemed useful and necessary. In brief, let him instil into his mind the virtues and perfections of the world of humanity. Above all he should continually call to his mind the remembrance of God so that his throbbing veins and arteries may pulsate with the love of God.

The son, on the other hand, must show forth the utmost obedience towards his father, and should conduct himself as a humble and a lowly servant. Day and night he should seek diligently to ensure the comfort and welfare of his loving father and to secure his good pleasure. He must forgo his own rest and enjoyment and constantly strive to bring gladness to the hearts of his father and mother, that thereby he may attain the good pleasure of the Almighty and be graciously aided by the hosts of the unseen. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Family Life’, Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, March 2008)

February 8

…this century—the century of light—has been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man. 

Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world’s darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will ere long be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the corner-stone of the foundation itself, and which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendour. The fifth candle is the unity of nations—a unity which in this century will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races, making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Cited in Shoghi Effendi, “The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh”; compilation: ‘Peace’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Revised September 1990; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 6

The second teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity. Every human creature is the servant of God. All have been created and reared by the power and favor of God; all have been blessed with the bounties of the same Sun of divine truth; all have quaffed from the fountain of the infinite mercy of God; and all in His estimation and love are equal as servants. He is beneficent and kind to all. Therefore, no one should glorify himself over another; no one should manifest pride or superiority toward another; no one should look upon another with scorn and contempt; and no one should deprive or oppress a fellow creature. All must be considered as submerged in the ocean of God’s mercy. We must associate with all humanity in gentleness and kindliness. We must love all with love of the heart. Some are ignorant; they must be trained and educated. One is sick; he must be healed. Another is as a child; we must assist him to attain maturity. We must not detest him who is ailing, neither shun him, scorn nor curse him, but care for him with the utmost kindness and tenderness. An infant must not be treated with disdain simply because it is an infant. Our responsibility is to train, educate and develop it in order that it may advance toward maturity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 25 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’)

February 4

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-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘Family Life’, Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, March 2008)

February 2

Contemplate first the prejudice of religion: consider the nations of so-called religious people; if they were truly worshippers of God they would obey His law which forbids them to kill one another.

If priests of religion really adored the God of love and served the Divine Light, they would teach their people to keep the chief Commandment, ‘To be in love and charity with all men’. But we find the contrary, for it is often the priests who encourage nations to fight. Religious hatred is ever the most cruel!

All religions teach that we should love one another; that we should seek out our own shortcomings before we presume to condemn the faults of others, that we must not consider ourselves superior to our neighbours! We must be careful not to exalt ourselves lest we be humiliated.

Who are we that we should judge? How shall we know who, in the sight of God, is the most upright man? God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts! How many men who have seemed saint-like to their friends have fallen into the greatest humiliation. Think of Judas Iscariot; he began well, but remember his end! On the other hand, Paul, the Apostle, was in his early life an enemy of Christ, whilst later he became His most faithful servant. How then can we flatter ourselves and despise others?

Let us therefore be humble, without prejudices, preferring others’ good to our own! Let us never say, ‘I am a believer but he is an infidel’, ‘I am near to God, whilst he is an outcast’. We can never know what will be the final judgment! Therefore let us help all who are in need of any kind of assistance.

Let us teach the ignorant, and take care of the young child until he grows to maturity. When we find a person fallen into the depths of misery or sin we must be kind to him, take him by the hand, help him to regain his footing, his strength; we must guide him with love and tenderness, treat him as a friend not as an enemy.

We have no right to look upon any of our fellow-mortals as evil. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk; ‘Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912’)