Sunday, March 30, 2014

... keep safe these Thy servants ...

... These are the ones whom no word except Thy most exalted word can move, whom nothing whatever save the sweet smelling fragrance of the robe of Thy remembrance can enrapture, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and the Maker of earth and heaven!
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the beloved Companion of Bahá, by Thy name, the All-Glorious, to keep safe these Thy servants under the shadow of the wings of Thine all-encompassing mercy, that the darts of the evil suggestions of the wicked doers among Thy creatures, who have disbelieved in Thy signs, may be kept back from them. No one on earth, O my Lord, can withstand Thy power, and none in all the kingdom of Thy names is able to frustrate Thy purpose. Show forth, then, the power of Thy sovereignty and of Thy dominion, and teach Thy loved ones what beseemeth them in Thy days.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the Most Great.

Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh

Thursday, March 27, 2014

BEAUTY AND HARMONY IN DIVERSITY

The Creator of all is One God.
From this same God all creation sprang into existence, and He is the one goal, towards which everything in nature yearns. This conception was embodied in the words of Christ, when He said, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end’. Man is the sum of Creation, and the Perfect Man is the expression of the complete thought of the Creator—the Word of God.
Consider the world of created beings, how varied and diverse they are in species, yet with one sole origin. All the differences that appear are those of outward form and colour. This diversity of type is apparent throughout the whole of nature...
So it is with humanity. It is made up of many races, and its peoples are of different colour, white, black, yellow, brown and red—but they all come from the same God, and all are servants to Him...
Among men exists the diversity of animosity, and it is this that causes war and hatred among the different nations of the world.

`Abdu'l-BaháParis Talks

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

The basis of the teaching of Baha'u'llah is the Unity of Mankind, and his greatest desire was that love and goodwill should live in the heart of men. As He exhorted the people to do away with strife and discord, so I wish to explain to you the principal reason of the unrest among nations. The chief cause is the misrepresentation of religion by the religious leaders and teachers. They teach their followers to believe that their own form of religion is the only one pleasing to God, and that followers of any other persuasion are condemned by the All-Loving Father and deprived of His Mercy and Grace. Hence arise among the peoples, disapproval, contempt, disputes and hatred. If these religious prejudices could be swept away, the nations would soon enjoy peace and concord.

'Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is ....

“The Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is one of the most vital institutions in the world,
and it hath many subsidiary branches. Although it is a House of Worship, it is also connected with a hospital, a drug dispensary, a traveller’s hospice, a school for orphans, and a university for advanced studies. Every Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is connected with these five things. My hope is that the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár will now be established in America, and that gradually the hospital, the school, the university, the dispensary and the hospice, all functioning according to the most efficient and orderly procedures, will follow. Make these matters known to the beloved of the Lord, so that they will understand how very great is the importance of this ‘Dawning-Point of the Remembrance of God.’ The Temple is not only a place for worship; rather, in every respect is it complete and whole.”

Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 99-100, 

Saturday, March 22, 2014

O Land of Tá (Ṭihrán)...


Let nothing grieve thee, O Land of Tá (Ṭihrán), for God hath chosen thee to be the source of the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His Will, bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice, who will gather together the flock of God which the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler will, with joy and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his favors unto, the people of Bahá. He indeed is accounted in the sight of God as a jewel among men. Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation.
Rejoice with great joy, for God hath made thee “the Day Spring of His light,” inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of His Glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee—a name through which the Day Star of grace hath shed its splendor, through which both earth and heaven have been illumined.
Ere long will the state of affairs within thee be changed, and the reins of power fall into the hands of the people. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing. His authority embraceth all things. Rest thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord. The eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed towards thee. The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm. Thus hath it been decreed in the wondrous Book.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Thursday, March 20, 2014

سال نو مبارک

در دیانت بهائی، نوروز بسیار مبارک است و جزو اعیاد بهائیان عالم محسوب می شود
  
:حضرت عبدالبهاء می فرمایند
 که در چنین روز مبارکی بهتر است که نتایج عظیمه ای حاصل شود که آن اثار خیریه شمول بر تمامی نوع بشر داشته باشد و همگی از آن .نتفاع برند. چنانچه می فرمایند: 
 در اين دور بديع نيز اين روز بسيار مبارک است بايد احبّاء الهی دراين روز بخدمت و عبوديّتی موفّق شوند بايد با يکديگر در نهايت الفت و محبّت و يگانگی دست در آغوش شوند و بکمال فرح و سرور بذکر جمال مبارک مشغول گردند و در آن فکر باشند که در چنين يوم مبارکی نتائج عظيمه حاصل شود. و امروز نتيجه و ثمری اعظم از هدايت خلق نيست زيرا اين خلق بيچاره از جميع مواهب الهيّه علی الخصوص ايران و ايرانيان بی نصيب مانده اند. احبّای الهی در چنين روزی البتّه بايد يک آثار خيريّه صوريّه يا آثار خيريّه معنويّه بگذارند که آن آثار خيريّه شمول بر جميع نوع انسانی داشته باشد. زيرا در اين دور بديع هر عمل خيری بايد عمومی باشد يعنی شمول بر جميع بشر داشته باشد اختصاص به بهائيان نداشته باشد. در جميع ادوار انبياء امور خيريّه تعلّق بنفس آن ملّت داشت مگر مسائل جزئيّه مثل صدقه که تجويز شمول بر عموم داشت. امّا در اين دور بديع چونکه ظهور رحمانيّت الهی است جميع امور خيريّه شمول بجميع بشر دارد بدون استثناء. لهذا هر امری عمومی يعنی که تعلّق بعموم عالم انسانی دارد الهی است..."

Tablet of Naw-Rúz , لوح نوروز،


Naw-Rúz
 (Naw-Rúz, March 21, is the first day of the Bahá'í year.)

 Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Rúz as a festival unto those who have observed the Fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that is abhorrent unto thee. Grant, O my Lord, that the fire of Thy love and the heat produced by the Fast enjoined by Thee may inflame them in Thy Cause, and make them to be occupied with Thy praise and with remembrance of Thee.
 Since thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the Fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the Fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the Fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the Fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.
 Thou art He through Whom the ensign “Praiseworthy art Thou in Thy works” hath been lifted up, and the standard “Obeyed art Thou in Thy behest” hath been unfurled. Make known this Thy station, O my God, unto Thy servants, that they may be made aware that the excellence of all things is dependent upon Thy bidding and Thy word, and the virtue of every act is conditioned by Thy leave and the good pleasure of Thy will, and may recognize that the reins of men's doings are within the grasp of Thine acceptance and Thy commandment. Make this known unto them, that nothing whatsoever may shut them out from Thy Beauty, in these days whereon the Christ exclaimeth: “All dominion is Thine, O Thou the Begetter of the Spirit (Jesus)”; and Thy Friend (Muhammad) crieth out: “Glory be to Thee, O Thou the Best-Beloved, for that Thou hast uncovered Thy Beauty, and written down for Thy chosen ones what will cause them to attain unto the seat of the revelation of Thy Most Great Name, through which all the peoples have lamented except such as have detached themselves from all else except Thee, and set themselves towards Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and the Manifestation of Thine attributes.”
 He Who is Thy Branch and all Thy company, O my Lord, have broken this day their fast, after having observed it within the precincts of Thy court, and in their eagerness to please Thee. Do Thou ordain for Him, and for them, and for all such as have entered Thy presence in those days all the good Thou didst destine in Thy Book. Supply them, then, with that which will profit them, in both this life and in the life beyond. Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

 Bahá’u’lláh

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Secret of Divine Civilization ...

It is unquestionable that the object in establishing parliaments is to bring about justice and righteousness, but everything hinges on the efforts of the elected representatives. If their intention is sincere, desirable results and unforeseen improvements will be forthcoming; if not, it is certain that the whole thing will be meaningless, the country will come to a standstill and public affairs will continuously deteriorate. “I see a thousand builders unequal to one subverter; what then of the one builder who is followed by a thousand subverters?”
The purpose of the foregoing statements is to demonstrate at least this, that the happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult problems.

`Abdu'l-Bahá: The Secret of Divine Civilization

مناجات حضرت عبدالبهاء،

هُوَاللّه
 ای پروردگار آن مشتاقان را تجلّیِ عنایت فرما و اَبوابِ موهبت بگشا؛
از هر آلودگی طَیِّب و طاهر کن و از هر ناشایستگی آزادی بخش؛
قَمیصشان چون پیرهن یوسف معطّر کن و خُلق و خویشان را چون جَیبِ نسیمِ صبا پُرمُشک و عنبر نما.
به صفاتِ رحمانیّت مُتّصِف کن و به اخلاق روحانیان متخلّق تا آیاتِ توحید گردند و بَیِّناتِ اشراقِ نورِ ربِّ فرید؛
سببِ عزّت امرِ تو گردند و علّتِ بزرگواری قدر خود، تا شدّتشان به رَخا مبدّل گردد و فقرشان به غنا؛ عزّتِ ابدیّه یابند و موهبت سرمدیّه؛ مَظاهرِ تقدیس گردند و مَطالعِ تنزیه، از عالم نورانیّت و روحانیّت حکایت کنند تا جمیع ابواب از جمیع جهات بر وُجوهشان گشوده گردد. انّکَ اَنتَ القَویُّ القَدیر
. ع ع
 (حضرت عبدالبهاء، مجموعه مناجات های چاپ آلمان، شمارۀ۳۶۳)

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The light of men is Justice

The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books of the world cannot contain its inner significance. Were mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would behold the day-star of the utterance, ‘On that day God will satisfy everyone out of His abundance,’ 6 shining resplendent above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of this utterance; it is a noble fruit that the Tree of the Pen of Glory hath yielded. Happy is the man that giveth ear unto it and observeth its precepts. Verily I say, whatever is sent down from the heaven of the Will of God is the means for the establishment of order in the world and the instrument for promoting unity and fellowship among its peoples...

 Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, pp 67

Monday, March 17, 2014

نوروز و آئین بهائی

در دیانت بهائی، نوروز بسیار مبارک است و جزو اعیاد بهائیان عالم محسوب می شود. حضرت عبدالبهاء می فرمایند که در چنین روز مبارکی بهتر است که نتایج عظیمه ای حاصل شود که آن اثار خیریه شمول بر تمامی نوع بشر داشته باشد و همگی از آن انتفاع
برند. چنانچه می فرمایند:

"... در اين دور بديع نيز اين روز بسيار مبارک است بايد احبّاء الهی دراين روز بخدمت و عبوديّتی موفّق شوند بايد با يکديگر در نهايت الفت و محبّت و يگانگی دست در آغوش شوند و بکمال فرح و سرور بذکر جمال مبارک مشغول گردند و در آن فکر باشند که در چنين يوم مبارکی نتائج عظيمه حاصل شود. و امروز نتيجه و ثمری اعظم از هدايت خلق نيست زيرا اين خلق بيچاره از جميع مواهب الهيّه علی الخصوص ايران و ايرانيان بی نصيب مانده اند. احبّای الهی در چنين روزی البتّه بايد يک آثار خيريّه صوريّه يا آثار خيريّه معنويّه بگذارند که آن آثار خيريّه شمول بر جميع نوع انسانی داشته باشد. زيرا در اين دور بديع هر عمل خيری بايد عمومی باشد يعنی شمول بر جميع بشر داشته باشد اختصاص به بهائيان نداشته باشد. در جميع ادوار انبياء امور خيريّه تعلّق بنفس آن ملّت داشت مگر مسائل جزئيّه مثل صدقه که تجويز شمول بر عموم داشت. امّا در اين دور بديع چونکه ظهور رحمانيّت الهی است جميع امور خيريّه شمول بجميع بشر دارد بدون استثناء. لهذا هر امری عمومی يعنی که تعلّق بعموم عالم انسانی دارد الهی است..."

March 8, 1917 ...

March 8, 1917
 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reveals the following portion of the Tablets of Divine Plans to the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada.

 He is God!
 O ye heavenly souls, sons and daughters of the Kingdom: In the contingent world there are many collective centers which are conducive to association and unity between the children of men. For example, patriotism is a collective center; nationalism is a collective center; identity of interests is a collective center; political alliance is a collective center; the union of ideals is a collective center, and the prosperity of the world of humanity is dependent upon the organization and promotion of the collective centers. Nevertheless, all the above institutions are, in reality, the matter and not the substance, accidental and not eternal—temporary and not everlasting. With the appearance of great revolutions and upheavals, all these collective centers are swept away. But the Collective Center of the Kingdom, embodying the institutions and divine teachings, is the eternal Collective Center. It establishes relationship between the East and the West, organizes the oneness of the world of humanity, and destroys the foundation of differences. It overcomes and includes all the other collective centers. Like unto the ray of the sun, it dispels entirely the darkness encompassing all the regions, bestows ideal life, and causes the effulgence of divine illumination…Now 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…

Bahá’í World Faith—Selected Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Sunday, March 9, 2014

در روضه قلب جز گل عشق مکار

ای دوست
 در روضه قلب جز گل عشق مکار و از ذيل بلبل حبّ و شوق دست مدار * مصاحبت ابرار را غنيمت دان و از مرافقت اشرار دست و دل هر دو بردار



O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

ای رفيق عرشی

 ای رفيق عرشی
 بد مشنو و بد مبين و خود را ذليل مکن و عويل برميار * يعنی بد مگو تا نشنوی و عيب مردم را بزرگ مدان تا عيب تو بزرگ ننمايد و ذلّت نفسی مپسند تا ذلّت تو چهره نگشايد * پس با دل پاک و قلب طاهر و صدر مقدّس و خاطر منزّه در ايّام عمر خود که اقلّ از آنی محسوبست فارغ باش تا بفراغت از اين جسد فانی بفردوس معانی راجع شوی و در ملکوت باقی مقرّ يابی

O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and 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.

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

International Women's Day on March 8th

"Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God," Bahá'u'lláh.
"The emancipation of women, the achievement of full equality between the sexes, is one of the most important, though less acknowledged prerequisites of peace. The denial of such equality perpetrates an injustice against one half of the world's population and promotes in men harmful attitudes and habits that are carried from the family to the workplace, to political life, and ultimately to international relations.
There are no grounds, moral, practical, or biological, upon which such denial can be justified. Only as women are welcomed into full partnership in all fields of human endeavor will the moral and psychological climate be created in which international peace can emerge."

Advancing the Status of Women

Thursday, March 6, 2014

The Bahá'í Fast

Fasting is the cause of awakening man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases. This is produced by the fact that man's thoughts will be confined to the commemoration of God, and through this awakening and stimulation surely ideal advancements follow... Fasting is of two kinds, material and spiritual. The material fasting is abstaining from food or drink, that is, from the appetites of the body. But spiritual, ideal fasting is this, that man abstain from selfish passions, from negligence and from satanic animal traits. Therefore, material fasting is a token of the spiritual fasting. That is: `O God! As I am fasting from the appetites of the body and not occupied with eating and drinking, even so purify and make holy my heart and my life from aught else save Thy Love, and protect and preserve my soul from self-passions... Thus may the spirit associate with the Fragrances of Holiness and fast from everything else save Thy mention.

`Abdu'l-Bahá,

Sunday, March 2, 2014

وادی استغناء

و سالک بعد از قطع معارج اين سفر بلند اعلی در مدينهء استغنا وارد ميشود و در اين وادی نسايم استغنای الهی را بيند که از بيدای روح می وزد و حجابهای فقر را ميسوزد و " يومَ يغنِی اللّه کلّاً من سعته " را بچشم ظاهر و باطن در غيب و شهادهء اشيا مشاهده فرمايد از حزن بسرور آيد و از غم بفرح راجع شود قبض و انقباض را به بسط و انبساط تبديل نمايد . مسافران اين وادی اگر در ظاهر بر خاک ساکنند امّا در باطن بر رفرف معانی جالس و از نعمتهای بی زوال معنوی مرزوقند و از شرابهای لطيف روحانی مشروب زبان در تفصيل اين سه وادی عاجز است و بيان بغايت قاصر قلم در اين عرصه قدم نگذارد و مداد جز سواد ثمر نيآرد بلبل قلب را در اين مقامات نواهای ديگر است و اسرار ديگر که دل از او بجوش و روح در خروش و لکن اين معمّای معانی را دل بدل بايد گفت و سينه بسينه بايد سپرد .
ای رفيق تا بحديقه اين معانی نرسی از خمر باقی اين وادی نچشی و اگر چشی از غير چشم پوشی و از بادهء استغنا بنوشی و از همه بگسلی و باو پيوندی و جان در رهش بازی و روان رايگان بر افشانی سالک در اين رتبه جمال دوست را در هر شیء بيند از نار رخسار يار بيند و در مجاز رمز حقيقت ملاحظه کند و از صفات سرّ هويّت مشاهده نمايد
زيرا پرده ها را بآهی سوخته و حجابها را بنگاهی برداشته ببصر حديد در صنع جديد سير نمايد و بقلب رقيق آثار دقيق ادراک کند و " جعلنا اليوم بصرک حديداً " شاهد مقال و کافی احوال است .
   

The Bahá'í Fast

As has been the case with other revealed religions, the Bahá'í Faith sees great value in the practice of fasting as a discipline for the soul. Bahá'u'lláh designated a nineteen-day period each year when adult Bahá'ís fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period coincides with the Bahá'í month of Ala (meaning Loftiness), from March 2 to 20, inclusive.
 "The fasting period, which lasts nineteen days starting as a rule from the second of March every year and ending on the twentieth of the same month, involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires."

Shoghi Effendi, (Directives of the Guardian)

Having created the world and ...

  Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will,...