The twelfth and final Day of Ridván begins tonight (May 1st) at sunset. May 2nd is a Holy Day on which Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
May 2nd
I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing....His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
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May 8-14, 2005
Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of the world of humanity. Without truthfulness, progress and success in all the worlds of God are impossible for a soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also become realized.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
May 15-21, 2005
I adjure Thee by Thy might, O my God! Let no harm beset me in times of tests, and in moments of heedlessness guide my steps aright through Thine inspiration. Thou art God, potent art Thou to do what Thou desirest. No one can withstand Thy Will or thwart Thy Purpose.
-The Bab
May 22-28, 2005
The Declaration of the Báb
The anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb begins tonight (May 22) at sunset.
May 23 is a Holy Day. Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school- and should celebrate the Declaration of the Báb two hours after Sunset on May 22.
O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every affliction, Thou art He Who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every slave, the Redeemer of every soul. O Lord! Grant deliverance through Thy mercy, and reckon me among such servants of Thine as have gained salvation.
-The Báb
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May 29-June 4, 2005
The Ascension of Bahá 'u' lláh
The anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá 'u' lláh begins (May 28) at sunset.
May 29 is a Holy Day. The commemoration of His Acension should take place at 3:00 A.M. on May 29. It is a Bahá'í Holy Day;. Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
Quote:
Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all
but God, the incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favored angels.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
June 4-11, 2005
A prayer for spiritual growth:
"O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harrass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord."
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
June 12-18, 2005
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Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart
to sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be blessed, all be forgiven.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Question: What do the Bahá'í writings say about
gossip?
Answer: Bahá 'u' lláh strictly forbids gossip and backbiting.
June 19-25, 2005
Men who suffer not, will attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
June 26-July 2, 2005
I adjure Thee by Thy might, O my God! Let no harm beset me in times of tests, and in moments of
heedlessness guide my steps aright through Thine
inspiration. Thou art God, potent art Thou to do what Thou desirest. No one can withstand Thy Will or thwart Thy Purpose.
-The Bab
The Martyrdom of the Báb
The anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb begins July 8 at sunset. July 9 is a Holy Day; Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
On July 9, 1850, the Báb was martyred in Tabríz, Persia. The Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb should be commemorated July 9 at noon.
Fear not: I am come into this world to bear witness to the glory of sacrifice....The drops of this consecrated blood will be the seed out of which will arise the mighty Tree of God, the Tree that will gather beneath it all-embracing shadow the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
-The Báb
Quote:
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July 3-9, 2005
July10-16, 2005
Prayer for Mankind
O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity
from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence.
O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided
for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all.
Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and
faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy
Mercy.
O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions
agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.
O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of
mankind.
O God! Establish the Most Great Peace. Cement
Thou, O God, the hearts together. O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
July 17-23, 2005
I ask you all, each one of you, to follow well the light of truth, in the Holy Teachings, and God will strengthen you by His Holy Spirit so that you will be enabled to overcome the difficulties, and to destroy the prejudices which cause separation and hatred amongst the people.
'Abdu'l-Bahá
The real secret of universal participation lies in the Master's oft-expressed wish that the friends should love each other, constantly encourage each other, work together, be as one soul in one body, and in so doing become a true, organic, healthy body animated and illumined by the spirit. In such a body all will receive spiritual health and vitality from the organism itself, and the most perfect flowers and fruits will be brought forth.
-The Universal House of Justice
July 24-30, 2005
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Each Prophet fulfilled the promise of the One Who came before Him and, likewise, Each announced the One Who would follow. Consider how Abraham foretold the coming of Moses, and Moses embodied the Abrahamic statement. Moses prophesied the Messianic cycle, and Christ fulfilled the law of Moses. It is evident, therefore, that the Holy Manifestations Who founded the religious systems are united and agreed; there is no differentiation possible in Their mission and teachings; all are reflectors of reality, and all are promulgators of the religion of God. The divine religion is reality, and reality is not multiple; it is one. Therefore, the foundations of the religious systems are one because all proceed from the indivisible reality....
-'Abdu'l-Baha
July 31-Aug. 6, 2005
God grant that the light of unity may envelop the whole earth, and that the seal, "the Kingdom is God's" may be stamped upon the brow of all its peoples.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
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True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns- the shining exemplars of devotion and deterination- shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Aug. 7-13, 2005
Today there is no greater glory for man than that of service in the cause of the Most Great Peace. Peace is light, whereas war is darkness. Peace is life: war is death. Peace is guidance; war is error. Peace is the foundation of God; war is a satanic institution. Peace is the illumination of the world of humanity; war is the destroyer of human foundations.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Aug. 14-20, 2005
Each one must sacrifice his life and possessions to the other and each person be loving to all the inhabitants of the world, rending asunder the curtain of forgiveness and consorting with all the people with union and accord.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
-1 JOHN 4:7
HE is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise! Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies,proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings ofthe nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of themessage which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.
Verily this is that Most Great Beauty, foretold in he Books of the Messengers, through Whom truth shall be distinguished from error and the wisdom of every command shall be tested. Verily He is the Tree of Life that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great. O Ahmad! Bear thou witness that verily He is God and there is no God but Him, the King, the Protector, the Incomparable, the Omnipotent. And that the One Whom He hath sent forth by the name of 'Ali 1 was the true One from God, to Whose commands we are all conforming.
Say: Opeople be obedient to the ordinances of God, which
have been enjoined in the Bayan by the Glorious, the
Wise One. Verily He is the King of the Messengers and
His Book is the Mother Book did ye but know.
Thus doth the Nightingale utter His call unto you
from this prison. He hath but to deliver this clear
message. Whosoever desireth, let him turn aside from
this counsel and whosoever desireth let him choose the
path to his Lord. O people, if ye deny these verses,
by what proof have ye believed in God? Produce it, O
assemblage of false ones.
Nay, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, they are
not, and never shall be able to do this, even should
they combine to assist one another. O Ahmad! Forget
not My bounties while I am absent. Remember My days
during thy days, and My distress and banishment in
this remote prison. And be thou so steadfast in My
love that thy heart shall not waver, even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the
earth arise against thee.
Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a
river of life eternal to My loved ones, and be not of
those who doubt. And if thou art overtaken by affliction
in My path, or degradation for My sake, be not thou
troubled thereby.
Rely upon God, thy God and the Lord of thy
fathers. For the people are wandering in the paths of
delusion, bereft of discernment to see God with their
own eyes, or hear His Melody with their own ears.
Thus have We found them, as thou also dost witness.
Thus have their superstitions become veils between
them and their own hearts and kept them from the path
of God, the Exalted, the Great. Be thou assured in
thyself that verily, he who turns away from this
Beauty hath also turned away from the Messengers of
the past and showeth pride towards God from all
eternity to all eternity. Learn well this Tablet, O Ahmad. Chant it during thy days and withhold not thyself therefrom. For verily, God hath ordained for the one who chants it, the reward of a hundred martyrs and a service in both worlds. These favors have We bestowed upon thee as a bounty on Our part and a mercy from Our presence, that thou mayest be of those who are grateful.
By God! Should one who is in affliction or grief
read this Tablet with absolute sincerity, God will
dispel his sadness, solve his difficulties and remove
his afflictions.
Verily, He is the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.
-Baha'u'llah
Aug. 19 -Sept. 11, 2005
The Tablet of Ahmad
A Prayer for Spiritual Qualities
O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my
heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in
Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. Iwill not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.
O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.
-'Abdu'l-Baha
Sept. 11- 17, 2005
Follow thou the way of thy Lord, and say not that which the ears cannot bear to hear, for speech is like a lucious food given to small children. However palatable, rare and rich the food may be, it cannot be assimilated by the digestive organs of a suckling child. Therefore unto every one who hath a right, let his settled measure be given.
"Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it." Such is the consummate wisdom to be observed in thy pursuits. Be not oblivious thereof, if thou wishest to be a man of action under all conditions. First diagnose and identify the malady, then prescribe the remedy, for such is the perfect method of the skilful physician.
-Abdu'l-Bahá
Sept. 18-24, 2005
Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2005
A Prayer for Tests and Difficulties
Thou knowest full well, O my God, that tribulations have showered upon me from all directions and that no one can dispel or transmute them except Thee. I know of a certainty, by virtue of my love for Thee, that Thou wilt never cause tribulations to befall any soul unless Thou desirest to exalt his station in Thy celestial Paradise and to buttress his heart in this earthly life with the bulwark of Thine all-compelling power, that it may not become inclined toward the vanities of this world. Indeed Thou art well aware that under all conditions I would cherish the remembrance of Thee far more than the ownership of all that is in the heavens and on the earth. Strengthen my heart, O my God, in Thine obedience and in Thy love, and grant that I may be clear of the entire company of Thine adversaries. Verily, I swear by Thy glory that I yearn for naught besides Thyself nor do I desire anything except Thy mercy, nor am I apprehensive of aught save Thy Justice. I beg Thee to forgive me as well as those whom Thou lovest, howsoever Thou pleasest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Bountiful.
Immensely exalted art Thou, O Lord of the heavens
and earth, above the praise of all men, and may peace
be upon Thy faithful servants and glory be unto God,
the Lord of all the worlds.
--The Bab
Oct. 2-8, 2005
#68. O CHILDREN OF MEN!
Know ye why we have created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbant on you to be even as one soul , to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you. O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wonderous glory.
-Bahá 'u' lláh, The Hidden Words,
#68 (from the Arabic)
Oct. 9- 15, 2005
O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh or weep. Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great: and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore..
-Bahá 'u' lláh,
The Hidden Words, #44
( from the Persian)
Oct. 16-22, 2005
O Oppressors of Earth!
Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. That is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed it with My seal of glory.
-Baha'u'llah
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
-Proverbs 3:31
Oct. 23-29, 2005
A Prayer for Spiritual Qualities
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquility on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!
-Bahá 'u' lláh
Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2005
All created things have their degree or stage of maturity. The period of maturity in the life of a tree is the time of its fruit-bearing....and in the human kingdom man reaches his maturity when the light of his intelligence attains its greatest power and development....Similarly there are periods and stages in the collective life of humanity. At one time it was passing through its stage of childhood, at another its period of youth, but now, it has entered its long predictated phase of maturity, the evidences of which are everywhere apparent.... Man must now become imbued with new virtues and powers, new moral standards, new capacities. New bounties, perfect bestowals, are awaiting and already decending upon him. The gifts and blessings of the period of youth, although timely and sufficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the requirements of its maturity.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Nov. 6-11, 2005
It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
Nov. 13-19, 2005
Religions are many, but the reality of religion is one. The days are many, but the sun is one. The fountains are many, but the fountainhead is one. The branches are many, but the tree is one.
The foundation of the divine religions is reality; were there no reality, there would be no religions. Abraham heralded reality. Muhammad was the Messenger of reality. The Báb was the door of reality. Bahá 'u' lláh was the splendor of reality. Reality is one; it does not admit multiplicity or division. Reality is as the sun, which shines forth from different dawning points; it is as the light, which has illumined many lanterns.
Therefore, if the religions investigate reality and seek the essential truth of their own foundations, they will agree and no difference will be found.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Nov. 20-26, 2005
Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.
- BAHA'U'LLAH
Nov. 27-Dec. 10, 2005
O God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for kindling
the fire of divine love in the Holy Tree on the summit
of the loftiest mount: that Tree which is "neither of
the East nor of the West, " that fire which blazed
out till the flame of it soared upward to the
Concourse on high, and from it those realities caught
the light of guidance, and cried out: "Verily have we
perceived a fire on the slope of Mount Sinai."
O God, my God! Increase Thou this fire, as day
followeth day, till the blast of it setteth in motion
all the earth. O Thou, my Lord! Kindle the light of
Thy love in every heart, breathe into men's souls the
spirit of Thy knowledge, gladden their breasts with
the verses of Thy oneness. Call Thou to life those
who dwell in their tombs, warn Thou the prideful, make happiness worldwide, send down Thy crystal waters, and in the assemblage of manifest splendors, pass round that cup which is "tempered at the camphor fountain." Verily, art Thou the Giving, the Forgiving, the Ever-Bestowing. Verily, art Thou the Merciful, the
Compassionate.
--'Abdu'l-Baha'
Dec. 11-17, 2005
O my Lord, my Beloved, my Desire! Befriend me in my loneliness and accompany me in my exile. Remove my sorrow. Cause me to be devoted to Thy beauty. Withdraw me from all else save Thee. Attract me through Thy fragrances of holiness. Cause me to be associated in Thy Kingdom with those who are severed from all else save Thee, who long to serve Thy sacred threshold and who stand to work in Thy Cause. Enable me to be one of Thy maidservants who have attained to Thy good pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Gracious, the
Generous.
-'Abdu'l-Baha
Dec. 18-24, 2005
This is a new cycle of human power. All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a garden and a paradise.... The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Dec.25- Jan. 31, 2005
Prayer for Mankind
O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity
from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence.
O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided
for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all.
Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and
faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy.
O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions
agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.
O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of
mankind.
O God! Establish the Most Great Peace. Cement
Thou, O God, the hearts together. O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Jan. 1-7, 2006
From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity
give me to drink, O my God, and of the fruits of the
tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From
the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O
my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting
providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the
meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me
able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of
the throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From
the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pass over
me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of
Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One!
To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me
to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit
of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider!
In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my
Succorer, and in the path of Thy good pleasure set
firm my steps, O my Maker! Within the garden of Thine
immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for
ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the
seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my
Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving- kindness lift
me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Daystar of Thy
guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the
revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be
present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish,
and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty,
which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou
Who art my God! Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth
Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the All-
Glorious, the All-Highest.
--Baha'u'llah
Jan. 8-14, 2006
Many a chilled heart, O my God, hath been set
ablaze with the fire of Thy Cause, and many a slumberer hath been wakened by the sweetness of Thy voice. How many are the strangers who have sought shelter beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, and how numerous the thirsty ones who have panted after the fountain of Thy living waters in Thy days! Blessed is he that hath set himself towards Thee, and hasted to attain the Dayspring of the lights of Thy face. Blessed is he who with all his affections hath turned to the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the
Fountainhead of Thine inspiration. Blessed is he that
hath expended in Thy path what Thou didst bestow upon
him through Thy bounty and favor. Blessed is he who,
in his sore longing for Thee, hath cast away all else
except Thyself. Blessed is he who hath enjoyed
intimate communion with Thee, and rid himself of all
attachment to anyone save Thee. I beseech Thee, O my
Lord, by Him Who is Thy Name, Who, through the power
of Thy sovereignty and might, hath risen above the
horizon of His prison, to ordain for everyone what
becometh Thee and beseemeth Thine exaltation. Thy
might in truth, is equal to all things.
-Baha'u'llah
In accordance with the Divine Teachings, the aquisition of sciences and the perfection of arts is considered as acts of worship. If a man engages with all his power in the aquisition of a science or in the perfection of an art, it is as if he has been worshipping God in the churches and temples.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Jan. 15-21, 2006
Jan. 22-28, 2006
In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world alone. Signs of both these natures are to be found in men. In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. The attributes of his Divine nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being expressions of his higher nature. Every good habit, every noble quality belongs to man's spiritual nature, whereas all his imperfections and sinful actions are born of his material nature. If a man's Divine nature dominates his human nature, we have a saint.
- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks
Jan. 28- Feb. 4, 2006
.2. O SON OF SPIRIT!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.
- Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words
Feb. 5-11, 2006
11. O SON OF DUST!
Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.
- Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, (from The Persian)
Feb. 12-18, 2006
V. This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests. Happy are those whom the all-glorious Pen was moved to remember, and blessed are those men whose names, by virtue of Our inscrutable decree, We have preferred to conceal.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfil that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.
-- Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh--
Feb. 19-25, 2006
The Celebration of Ayyám-i-Há
Note: The Celebration of Ayyám-i-Há, the Intercalary Days, will begin at sunset (February 25) and continues until sunset on March 1st. Ayyám-i-Há is a time of preparation for the Nineteen Day Fast (March 2-20 ) It is also a time for hospitality, charity and the giving of presents.
(Quotes Below)
My God, my fire and my light! The days which Thou hast named the Ayyám-i-Há in Thy Book have begun, O Thou Who art the King of names, and the fast which Thy most exalted Pen hath enjoined unto all who are in the kingdom of Thy creation to observe is approaching: I entreat Thee, O my Lord... to grant that unto every soul may be assigned a place within the precincts of Thy court, and a seat at the revelation of the splendors of the light of Thy countenance.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
Happy is the soul that shall forget his own good, and like the chosen ones of God, vie with his fellows in service to the good of all...
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Feb. 26-March 4, 2006
The Celebration of Ayyám-i-Há
Note: The Celebration of Ayyám-i-Há, the Intercalary Days, will begin at sunset (February 25) and continues until sunset on March 1st. Ayyám-i-Há is a time of preparation for the Nineteen Day Fast (March 2-20 )
It is also a time for hospitality,charity and the giving of presents.
The Bahá'í month of Loftiness begins March 1st at sunset. The coming month is the month of the Nineteen Day Fast (March 2-20). All Bahá'ís from the age of fifteen to seventy years old must abstain from food and drink between the sunrise and sunset on each of the nineteen days of the month of Loftiness. Travelers, the sick, those engaged in heavy physical labor, and women who are pregnant, nursing, or menstruating are exempt from the fast.
A Prayer
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee
by this Revelation whereby darkness hath been turned
into light, through which the Frequented Fane hath
been built, and the Written Tablet revealed, and the
Outspread Roll uncovered, to send down Upon me and
upon them who are in my company that which will enable us to soar into the heavens of Thy transcendent glory, and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have hindered the suspicious from entering into the
tabernacle of Thy unity.
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the
cord of Thy loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of
Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou ordain for me and for
my loved ones the good of this world and of the world
to come. Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou
didst ordain for the choicest among Thy creatures.
These are, O my Lord, the days in which Thou hast
bidden Thy servants to observe the fast. Blessed is
he that observeth the fast wholly for Thy sake and
with absolute detachment from all things except Thee.
Assist me and assist them, O my Lord, to obey Thee and to keep Thy precepts. Thou, verily, hast power to do what Thou choosest.
There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. All praise be to God, the Lord of all
worlds.
Baha'u'llah
March 12-18, 2006
The Bahá'í month of Loftiness begins March 1st at sunset. The coming month is the month of the Nineteen Day Fast (March 2-20). All Bahá'ís from the age of fifteen to seventy years old must abstain from food and drink between the sunrise and sunset on each of the nineteen days of the month of Loftiness. Travelers, the sick, those engaged in heavy physical labor, and women who are pregnant, nursing, or menstruating are exempt from the fast.
A Prayer
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee
by this Revelation whereby darkness hath been turned
into light, through which the Frequented Fane hath
been built, and the Written Tablet revealed, and the
Outspread Roll uncovered, to send down Upon me and
upon them who are in my company that which will enable
us to soar into the heavens of Thy transcendent glory,
and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have
hindered the suspicious from entering into the
tabernacle of Thy unity.
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the
cord of Thy loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of
Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou ordain for me and for
my loved ones the good of this world and of the world
to come. Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou
didst ordain for the choicest among Thy creatures.
These are, O my Lord, the days in which Thou hast
bidden Thy servants to observe the fast. Blessed is
he that observeth the fast wholly for Thy sake and
with absolute detachment from all things except Thee.
Assist me and assist them, O my Lord, to obey Thee and
to keep Thy precepts. Thou, verily, hast power to do
what Thou choosest.
There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. All praise be to God, the Lord of all
worlds.
--Baha'u'llah
March 19-25, 2006
March 20
(The Fast Ends at Sunset)
The Celebration of Naw Rúz,
The Month of Splendor (Bahá), And The
New Bahá'í Year
All Begin At Sunset
The mystic and wondrous Bride, hidden ere this beneath the veiling of utterance, hath now, by the grace of God and His divine favour, been made manifest even as the resplendant light shed by the beauty of the Beloved. I bear witness, O friends! that the favour is complete, the argument fulfilled, the proof manifest and evidence established. Let it now be seen what your endeavours in the path of detachment will reveal. In this wise hath the divine favour been fully vouchsafed unto you and unto them that are in heaven and on earth. All praise to God, the Lord of all Worlds.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
March 26-April 1, 2006
O Son of Spirit!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice;
turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and
neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
O Oppressors of Earth!
Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. That is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed it with My seal of glory.
-Baha'u'llah
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
-Proverbs 3:31
April 2-8, 2006
Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship....
They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
April 9-15, 2006
Put all your beliefs into harmony with science; there can be no opposistion, for truth is one. When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles- and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
April 16-22, 2006
The Approach of Ridván
Verily, all created things were immersed in the sea of purification when, on that first day of Ridván, We shed upon the whole of creation the splendors of Our most excellent Names and Our most exalted Attributes. This, verily, is a token of My loving providence, which hath encompassed all the worlds.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
The Festival of Ridván
The twelve day festival commemorating Bahá 'u' lláh's Declaration of His mission to His companions is celebrated annually from 21 April through 2 May.
Bahá 'u' lláh acclaimed Ridván as the 'Most Great Festival' , the 'King of Festivals, the 'Festival of God' and has referred to it as the Day whereon 'the breezes of forgiveness were wafted over the entire creation'.
The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridván are celebrated as Holy Days on which work is suspended. Local spiritual assemblies are elected annually on the first day of Ridván while national spiritual assemblies are elected during the Ridván period. The Universal House of Justice is elected every five years during the Ridván period.
Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation tidings that He Who
is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridván and entered it. Guide, then,the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet. whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
Quote:
April 23-29, 2006
The 9th Day of Ridván
Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men. It behooveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His glory.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
The 12th Day of Ridván
The twelfth and final Day of Ridván begins tonight (May 1st) at sunset. May 2nd is a Holy Day on which Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
May 2nd
Quote:
I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing....His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
May 7-13, 2006
That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race.
The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
-Bahá 'u' lláh,
The Proclamation of Bahá 'u' lláh, p.6
May 14-20, 2006
" The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul and spirit. Through the power and charm of music the spirit is uplifted. It has wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure and melodies have great influence in them. The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music."
'Abdu'l-Bahá
May 21-27, 2006
The anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb begins
May 22 at sunset.
May 23 is a Holy Day. Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school- and should celebrate the Declaration of the Báb two hours after Sunset on May 22.
Quote:
O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every affliction, Thou art He Who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every slave, the Redeemer of every soul. O Lord! Grant deliverance through Thy mercy, and reckon me among such servants of Thine as have gained salvation.
-The Báb
The Declaration of the Báb
May 28- June 3, 2006
The Ascension of Bahá 'u' lláh
The anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá 'u' lláh begins (May 28) at sunset.
May 29 is a Holy Day. The commemoration of His Acension should take place at 3:00 A.M. on May 29.
It is a Bahá'í Holy Day;. Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
Quote:
Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but God, the incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favored angels.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
June 4-10, 2006
A Prayer for Assistance with Tests
HE is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful! O God, my God! Thou seest me, Thou knowest me; Thou art my Haven and my Refuge. None have I sought nor any will I seek save Thee; no path have I trodden nor any will I tread but the path of Thy love. In the darksome night of despair, my eye turneth expectant and full of hope to the morn of Thy boundless favor and at the hour of dawn my drooping soul is refreshed and strengthened in remembrance of Thy beauty and perfection. He whom the grace of Thy mercy aideth, though he be but a drop, shall become the boundless ocean, and the merest atom which the outpouring of Thy loving-kindness assisteth, shall shine even as the radiant star. Shelter under Thy protection, O Thou Spirit of purity, Thou Who art the All-Bountiful Provider, this enthralled, enkindled servant of Thine. Aid him in this world of being to remain steadfast and firm in Thy love and grant that this broken-winged bird attain a refuge and shelter in Thy divine nest that abideth upon the celestial tree.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
June 11-17, 2006
Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart
to sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be blessed, all be forgiven.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
Question: What do the Bahá'í writings say about
gossip?
Answer: Bahá 'u' lláh strictly forbids gossip and backbiting.
June 18-24, 2006
May you become as the waves of one sea, the stars of the same heaven, fruits adorning the same tree, roses of one garden in order that through you the onenerss of humanity may establish its temple in the world of mankind, for you are the ones who are called to uplift the cause of unity among the nations of the earth.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
June 25- July 1, 2006
O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh or weep. Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great: and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore..
-Bahá 'u' lláh,
The Hidden Words, #44
( from the Persian)
July 2-8, 2006
Each Prophet fulfilled the promise of the One Who came before Him and, likewise, Each announced the One Who would follow. Consider how Abraham foretold the coming of Moses, and Moses embodied the Abrahamic statement. Moses prophesied the Messianic cycle, and Christ fulfilled the law of Moses. It is evident, therefore, that the Holy Manifestations Who founded the religious systems are united and agreed; there is no differentiation possible in Their mission and teachings; all are reflectors of reality, and all are promulgators of the religion of God. The divine religion is reality, and reality is not multiple; it is one. Therefore, the foundations of the religious systems are one because all proceed from the indivisible reality.... 'Abdu'l-Baha
July 9-15, 2006
The Martyrdom of the Báb
.The anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb begins July 8 at sunset. July 9 is a Holy Day; Bahá'ís should make every effort to be excused from work and school.
On July 9, 1850, the Báb was martyred in Tabríz, Persia. The Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb should be commemorated July 9 at noon.
Fear not: I am come into this world to bear witness to the glory of sacrifice....The drops of this consecrated blood will be the seed out of which will arise the mighty Tree of God, the Tree that will gather beneath it all-embracing shadow the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
-The Báb
Quote:.
July 16-22, 2006
Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting.
While a man is happy he may forget his God; but when greif comes and sorrows overwhelm him, then will he remember his Father Who is in Heaven, and Who is able to deliver him from his humiliations.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
July 23-29, 2006
One hour's reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
July 30-August 5, 2006
O Son of the Throne!
Thy hearing is My hearing, hear thou therewith. Thy sight is My sight, do thou see therewith, that in thine inmost soul thou mayest testify unto My exalted sanctity, and I within Myself may bear witness unto an exalted station for thee.
-'Abdu'l-Baha
August 6-12, 2006
Humanity is not perfect. there are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. --
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
August 13-19, 2006
If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender
herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee.
-Bahá 'u' lláh
Thy wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of Spirit.
- John 3:8
August 20-26, 2006
A Prayer for Spiritual Qualities
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquility on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!
-Bahá 'u' lláh
August 27-September 2, 2006
Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God's holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God's revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation.
-'Abdu'l-Bahá
September 3-9, 2006
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every man of insight confesseth Thy sovereignty and Thy dominion, and every discerning eye perceiveth the greatness of Thy majesty and the compelling power of Thy might. The winds of tests are powerless to hold back them that enjoy near access to Thee from setting their faces towards the horizon of Thy glory, and the tempests of trials must fail to draw away and hinder such as are wholly devoted to Thy will from approaching Thy court.
Methinks, the lamp of Thy love is burning in their hearts, and the light of Thy tenderness is lit within their breasts. Adversities are incapable of estranging them from Thy Cause, and the vicissitudes of fortune can never cause them to stray from Thy pleasure.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by them and by the sighs which their hearts utter in their separation from Thee, to keep them safe from the mischief of Thine adversaries, and to nourish their souls with what Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones on whom shall come no fear and who shall not be put to grief.
-Bahá'u'lláh
September 10-16, 2006
O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the
friends of the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy
Spirit, and with the light of divine guidance Thou
hast lit up the western sky. Thou hast made those who
were once remote to draw near unto Thyself; Thou hast
turned strangers into loving friends; Thou hast
awakened those who slept; Thou hast made the heedless mindful. O Thou Provider! Assist Thou these noble friends to win Thy good pleasure, and make them well wishers of stranger and friend alike. Bring them into the world that abideth forever; grant them a portion of heavenly grace; cause them to be true Baha'is, sincerely of God; save them from outward semblances, and establish them firmly in the truth. Make them signs and tokens of the Kingdom, luminous stars above the horizons of this nether life. Make them to be a comfort and a solace to humankind and servants to the peace of the world. Exhilarate them with the wine of Thy counsel, and grant that all of them may tread the path of Thy commandments.
O Thou Provider! The dearest wish of this servant
of Thy Threshold is to behold the friends of East and
West in close embrace; to see all the members of human
society gathered with love in a single great
assemblage, even as individual drops of water
collected in one mighty sea; to behold them all as
birds in one garden of roses, as pearls of one ocean,
as leaves of one tree, as rays of one sun. Thou art
the Mighty, the Powerful, and Thou art the God of
strength, the Omnipotent, the All-Seeing.
--'Abdu'l-Baha
September 17-23, 2006
The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.
Methinks, the lamp of Thy love is burning in their hearts, and the light of Thy tenderness is lit within their breasts. Adversities are incapable of estranging them from Thy Cause, and the vicissitudes of fortune can never cause them to stray from Thy pleasure. 
