MAN AND EVOLUTION

As man in the womb of the mother passes from form to form, from shape to shape, changes and develops, and is still the human species from the beginning of the embryonic period -- in the same way man, from the beginning of his existence in the matrix of the world, is also a distinct species -- that is, man -- and has gradually evolved from one form to another. Therefore, this change of appearance, this evolution of members, this development and growth, even though we admit the reality of growth and progress, does not prevent the species from being original. Man from the beginning was in this perfect form and composition, and possessed capacity and aptitude for acquiring material and spiritual perfections, and was the manifestation of these words, "We will make man in Our image and likeness." He has only become more pleasing, more beautiful and more graceful. Civilization has brought him out of his wild state, just as the wild fruits which are cultivated by a gardener become finer, sweeter and acquire more freshness and delicacy. The gardeners of the world of humanity are the Prophets of God.


Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions

THE COVENANT

O ye beloved of God, know that steadfastness and firmness in this new and wonderful Covenant is indeed the spirit that quickeneth the hearts which are overflowing with the love of the Glorious Lord; verily, it is the power which penetrates into the hearts of the people of the world! Your Lord hath assuredly promised His servants who are firm and steadfast to render them victorious at all times, to exalt their word, propagate their power, diffuse their lights, strengthen their hearts, elevate their banners, assist their hosts, brighten their stars, increase the abundance of the showers of mercy upon them, and enable the brave lions to conquer.
Hasten, hasten, O ye firm believers! Hasten, hasten, O ye steadfast! Abandon the heedless, set aside every ignorant, take hold of the strong rope, be firm in this Great Cause, draw light from this Evident Light, be patient and be steadfast in this wise Religion! Ye shall see the hosts of inspiration descending successively from the Supreme World, the procession of attraction falling incessantly from the heights of heaven, the abundance of the Kingdom of El-Abha outpouring continually and the teachings of God penetrating with the utmost power, while the heedless are indeed in evident loss.


Selected Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The first Taráz

The first Taráz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or poverty. Having attained the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts or professions is commendable and praiseworthy in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially in the eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the education of the world and to the edification of its peoples....

In this Day whatsoever serveth to reduce blindness and to increase vision is worthy of consideration. This vision acteth as the agent and guide for true knowledge. Indeed in the estimation of men of wisdom keenness of understanding is due to keenness of vision. The people of Bahá must under all circumstances observe that which is meet and seemly and exhort the people accordingly.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

The Principle of Oneness

Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind—the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u'lláh revolve is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cöoperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds—creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world—a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

 Shoghi EffendiThe World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

A message to the “followers of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran

The month of ‘Alá — the blessed days of the Fast and the grace-filled period of spiritual renewal
— has come to an end, the cold and bitter winter has passed, and the month of Bahá — the beginning of the fresh and vivifying season of spring — has arrived. This transformation in the world of nature is a reminder of the coming of the heavenly springtide, a season that began with the dawning of the Cause of the Exalted One, the Forerunner and the Herald of spiritual revival in this radiant age, and the appearance of Bahá’u’lláh, the universal Manifestation of God and the Founder of a new world civilization. Just as the world of nature becomes sweet scented and fragrant through the breezes of spring and barren fields bloom anew and grow verdant, so does the celestial power emanating from the quickening breezes of this divine springtime bestow new life on the world of being and prepare it for wondrous progress, both material and spiritual. The effects of the creative and transformative power of this spiritual spring are far reaching; they portend the coming of age of humanity and lead peoples and nations towards a world characterized by unity in diversity.

The Universal House of Justice, message to the “followers of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran”, dated Naw-Ruz, 2013

The station of distinction ... 2

It is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words and utterances flowing from these Well Springs of Divine knowledge appear to diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the mysteries of Divine wisdom, all their utterances are, in reality, but the expressions of one Truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate those stations to which We have referred, they, therefore, feel perplexed and dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are essentially one and the same.

It hath ever been evident that all these divergencies of utterance are attributable to differences of station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been, and are applicable to those Essences of Being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of Divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of Divine Concealment. Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The station of distinction ... 1

The other station is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.”

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

O Thou Provider!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the friends in 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 Bahá’ís, 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.

Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

All things are now made new.

“Now the new age is here and creation is reborn. Humanity hath taken on new life. The autumn hath gone by, and the reviving spring is here. All things are now made new. Arts and industries have been reborn, there are new discoveries in science, and there are new inventions; even the details of human affairs, such as dress and personal affects… have likewise been revised. Renewal is the order of the day. And all this newness hath its source in the fresh outpourings of wondrous grace and favor from the Lord of the Kingdom, which have renewed the world. The people, therefore, must be set completely free from their old patterns of thought, that all their attention may be focused upon these new principles, for these are the light of this time and the very spirit of this age.”

And all this newness hath its source in the fresh outpourings of wondrous grace and favour from the Lord of the Kingdom, which have renewed the world. The people, therefore, must be set completely free from their old patterns of thought, that all their attention may be focused upon these new principles, for these are the light of this time and the very spirit of this age.

Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

نوروز ۱۳۹۲ Universal House of Justice

بندگان راستان حضرت رحمان در سرزمین مقدّس ایران ملاحظه فرمایند
 با قلوبی سرشار از محبّت و وداد، نوروز فرخنده و سال نو را به شما عزیزان دل و جان و همۀ مردم پاک‌سرشت ایران تبریک و تهنیت می‌گوییم. شهرالعلاء، ایّام مبارک صیام و دوران پرموهبتِ تجدید قوای روحانی به پایان رسید، زمستان پرمرارت و برودت سپری گشت و شهرالبهاء، سرآغاز فصل پرطراوت بهار جان‌فزا فرا رسید. این تغییراتِ عالم طبیعت یادآوری است از حلول بهاری معنوی که با طلوع امر حضرت ربّ اعلی مبشّر و منادی تجدید حیات روحانی در این عصر نورانی و با ظهور حضرت بهاءالله مظهر کلّی الهی و بانی تمدّنی بدیع و جهانی آغاز گردید. همان ‌گونه که از نفخۀ بهار دل‌نشین جهان مشکین و عنبرین می‌شود و دشت و صحرای بی‌گیاه از نو سبز و خرّم می‌گردد، قوای منبعث از نسایم جان‌بخش این بهار پرانوار نیز عالم وجود را حیاتی تازه ‌بخشد و آن را برای ترقّیات شگرف مادّی و معنوی آماده نماید، فرا رسیدن بلوغ جمعی نوع بشر را نوید ‌دهد و ملل و اقوام مختلف را به سوی دنیایی مخصّص به اصل وحدت در کثرت به پیش بَرد. خوشا به حال شما برگزیدگان حضرت کبریا که به نور ایمان منوّرید، به خلق و خوی رحمانی مزیّنید، در ایجاد این تقلیب روحانی کوشایید، و در راه کمک به تأسیس مدنیّتِ لاشرقیّه و لاغربیّۀ الهیّه از هیچ‌گونه فداکاری و از جان‌گذشتگی دریغ ندارید. شمایید پیش‌تازان جنود ملکوت‌ الهی و شمایید خادمان عالم انسانی که در لهیب امتحان چون زر ناب رخ برافروخته‌اید و در طوفان افتتان خاموش و افسرده ننشسته‌اید. در اعتاب مقدّسۀ علیا به یاد شما عزیزان به دعا مشغولیم.
 [امضا: بیت العدل اعظم]

Naw Ruz: Spiritual Springtime

‘Abdu’l-Baha spoke of the effect that Baha’u'llah’s revelation – like the revelations of the previous Manifestations of God in previous Dispensations – had on the world, and likens it to a spiritual springtime:

 At the time of the vernal equinox in the material world a wonderful vibrant energy and new life-quickening is observed everywhere in the vegetable kingdom; the animal and human kingdoms are resuscitated and move forward with a new impulse. The whole world is born anew, resurrected. Gentle zephyrs are set in motion, wafting and fragrant; flowers bloom; the trees are in blossom, the air temperate and delightful; how pleasant and beautiful become the mountains, fields and meadows. Likewise, the spiritual bounty and springtime of God quicken the world of humanity with a new animus and vivification. All the virtues which have been deposited and potential in human hearts are being revealed from that Reality as flowers and blossoms from divine gardens. It is a day of joy, a time of happiness, a period of spiritual growth. I beg of God that this divine spiritual civilization may have the fullest impression and effect upon you. May you become as growing plants. May the trees of your hearts bring forth new leaves and variegated blossoms. May ideal fruits appear from them in order that the world of humanity, which has grown and developed in material civilization, may be quickened in the bringing forth of spiritual ideals.

`Abdu'l-Bahá: The Promulgation of Universal Peace

Happy Naw-Ruz

«از عادات قديمه است که هر ملّتی از ملل را ايّام سرور عمومی است که جميع ملّت در آن روز سرور و شادمانی کنند و اسباب عيش و عشرت فراهم آرند يعنی يک روز از ايّام سنه را که در آن روز واقعۀ عظيمی و امر جليلی رخ داده آن را انتخاب نمايند و در آن روز نهايت سرور، نهايت حبور و نهايت شادمانی ظاهر کنند. ديدن يکديگر نمايند و اگر چنانچه بين نفوس کدورتی حاصل در آن روز آشتی کنند و آن اغبرار و آن دلشکستگی زايل شود دوباره به اُلفت و محبّت پردازند. چون در روز نوروز از برای ايرانيان امور عظيمه واقع شد لهذا ملّت ايران يوم نوروز را فيروز دانسته و آن را عيد ملّی قرار دادند.» 

(حضرت عبدالبهاء، گنجینۀ حدود و احکام، صص: ۴۰۷- ۴۱۰)

Persecution of Baha'is in Iran extends across all stages of life

GENEVA, 18 March 2013, (BWNS) ―

Heiner Bielefeldt – the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief – described the situation of the Baha'is in Iran as "one of the most obvious cases of state persecution."
UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

The attacks against Baha'is in Iran represent one of the clearest cases of state-sponsored religious persecution in the world, said Heiner Bielefeldt, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
 Speaking 6 March 2013 in Geneva at a side event during the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council, Mr. Bielefeldt discussed the release of a new report by the Baha'i International Community, which documents rising violence against Iranian Baha'is and the utter impunity enjoyed by attackers.
 "It's really one of the most obvious cases of state persecution," he said, noting that the repression faced by Baha'is spans "all areas of state activity, from family law provisions to schooling, education, and security."
 He asked participants at the side event – which drew some 50 representatives from governments, the UN, and non-governmental organizations – to visualize the impact such wide-ranging persecution has on an individual as he or she moves through the stages of life.
"Imagine what that means for a child, in school, maybe even kindergarten, sometimes even in the preschool phase, of young life. To be exposed to the stigma, to be told there is something wrong with your family, that you have to change, you have to adapt," said Mr. Bielefeldt....

http://news.bahai.org/story/945

The Messengers of God

Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God,” He, verily, speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His names and His attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: “Those shafts were God’s, not Thine.” And also He saith: “In truth, they who plighted fealty unto Thee, really plighted that fealty unto God.” And were any of them to voice the utterance, “I am the Messenger of God,” He, also, speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: “Muḥammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God.” Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King, that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim, “I am the Seal of the Prophets,” they, verily, utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the “Beginning” and the “End,” the “First” and the “Last,” the “Seen” and the “Hidden”—all of which pertain to Him Who is the Innermost Spirit of Spirits and Eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say, “We are the Servants of God,” this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of Being were deep immersed beneath the oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared to the loftiest summits of Divine mysteries, they claimed their utterances to be
the Voice of Divinity, the Call of God Himself.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The Universal House of Justice, 2 March 2013

"...the principle that is to infuse all facets of organized life on the planet is the oneness of humankind, the hallmark of the age of maturity. That humanity constitutes a single people is a truth that, once viewed with scepticism, claims widespread acceptance today. The rejection of deeply ingrained prejudices and a growing sense of world citizenship are among the signs of this heightened awareness. Yet, however promising the rise in collective consciousness may be, it should be seen as only the first step of a process that will take decades—nay, centuries—to unfold. For the principle of the oneness of humankind, as proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh, asks not merely for cooperation among people and nations. It calls for a complete reconceptualization of the relationships that sustain society. The deepening environmental crisis, driven by a system that condones the pillage of natural resources to satisfy an insatiable thirst for more, suggests how entirely inadequate is the present conception of humanity’s relationship with nature; the deterioration of the home environment, with the accompanying rise in the systematic exploitation of women and children worldwide, makes clear how pervasive are the misbegotten notions that define relations within the family unit; the persistence of despotism, on the one hand, and the increasing disregard for authority, on the other, reveal how unsatisfactory to a maturing humanity is the current relationship between the individual and the institutions of society; the concentration of material wealth in the hands of a minority of the world’s population gives an indication of how fundamentally ill-conceived are relationships among the many sectors of what is now an emerging global community. The principle of the oneness of humankind implies, then, an organic change in the very structure of society."

The Universal House of Justice, 2 March 2013

To Ali

علی‌March 14, 2013 at 12:18 AM

۱. اینجا این اتفاق افتاد که، شما کامنت من را منتشر نکردید و این خودش یک اخلاق کالّتی و فاشیستی است و کاملا جدا از این که شما انتشار را کنترل می‌کنید، بلکه نشون میده کی‌ خودتون هم به آزادی بیان اعتقادی ندارید.

http://mehranazizi.blogspot.ca/2013/03/blog-post_11.html?showComment=1363284993180#c8662938875472469117

Would you like to comment why you lie when all your comments are published?

Just like your Arbabs, you have tried to poison people's mind and failed.

How low can one get? Only you and you like can tell.

O SON OF DESIRE!

O SON OF DESIRE!
The learned and the wise have for long years striven and failed to attain the presence of the All-Glorious; they have spent their lives in search of Him, yet did not behold the beauty of His countenance. Thou without the least effort didst attain thy goal, and without search hast obtained the object of thy quest. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst remain so wrapt in the veil of self, that thine eyes beheld not the beauty of the Beloved, nor did thy hand touch the hem of His robe. Ye that have eyes, behold and wonder."

Bahá'u'lláh

BIC statement explores a new concept of empowerment

NEW YORK — Concepts of empowerment that pit one group against another should be discarded in favor of a new vision where social transformation is approached as a collective enterprise in which all people are able to participate.


"The impulse to rectify social inequalities is unquestionably noble, but us/them dichotomies only perpetuate and reinforce existing divisions," said the statement, which was titled "Empowerment as a Mechanism for Social Transformation."
 "Careful thought needs to be given to ways in which empowerment can be approached as a universal and shared enterprise and not something the 'haves' bestow on the 'have nots.'" One way to avoid such extremes is to understand humanity as a single social organism, suggested the statement.
 "Implicit in such a conception are characteristics such as the interdependence of the parts and the whole, the indispensability of collaboration, reciprocity and mutual aid, the need to differentiate but also harmonize roles, the need for institutional arrangements that enable rather than oppress, and the existence of a collective purpose above that of any constituent element."

http://news.bahai.org/story/944

The Hands of the Cause of God - Volume One

Published on Dec 13, 2012. A documentary in style, this video recounts the lives of the Hands of the Cause of God within the historical context of the Baha'i Faith. This volume covers the where and why of these heroic souls' first appointment by Baha'u'llah during the latter part of His Ministry, to whom he referred as "the chosen ones", the "detached souls" and the "pure in spirit". The story of the sacrifice and daring of the four Hands appointed by Him is followed by the accounts of those special individuals referred to as Hands by His son 'Abdu'l-Baha on their passing. During the Ministry of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian also elevated a number of outstanding individuals to the rand of Hand of the Cause, posthumously. The story of these heroes and heroines of the Baha'i Faith who "diffused the divine fragrances" and "promoted learning" is told.

دستاویز فرقه گرائی برای نفی گزارش احمد شهید، بهروز ثابت

در امر بهائی وسیله و هدف یکی هستند. دروغ گوئی سرمنشاء همه رذائل اخلاقی محسوب شده است. تقیه حرام است. اگر 

دین باعث تفرقه و دشمنی شود بی دینی مرجح است. احترام به پدر و مادر واجب است. میان خدمت به جامعه بهائی و خدمت به پدر و مادر ارجحیت به والدین داده شده است.

اقای محمد جواد لاریجانی دبیر ستاد حقوق بشر ایران با حمله به گزارش اخیر احمد شهید، گزارش‌گر ویژه حقوق بشر سازمان ملل متحد گفته است: از نظر ما بهائیت اقلیت مذهبی نیست. بهائیت یک فرقه است. فرقه گرایی در همه کشورهای دنیا ممنوع است. در آمریکا و فرانسه قانون مبارزه با فرقه گرایی دارند. تشکیل فرقه جرم است. ایشان قبلا هم در شورای حقوق سازمان ملل درژنو درپاسخ به و سوالات و اعثراضا ت نمایند گان شورا به سرکوب بهائیان در ایران گفته بود که بهائیان از نظر عقیده آزادند و فقط به جهت فعالیتهای فرقه ای تحت تعقیب قانونی قرار میگیرند. اقای لاریجانی در نشست ژنو در توصیف آئین بهائی لغت انگلیسی کالت (cult) را به کار برده بود. استفاده ایشان از لغت کالت در حقیقت ترجمان همان فرقه ضاله است که بهائی ستیزان از بدو تا سیس این دیا نت در ایران به کار برده اند تا اذهان عموم رامشوش سازند و با تکرار این اصطلاح و اتهام موهن وسخیف بر قطر تابوی فرهنگی بر علیه جامعه بهائی بیفزایند.

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2013/03/156628.php

Question regarding the creation of man...

And now, concerning thy question regarding the creation of man. Know thou that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure, as decreed in God’s mighty and guarded Tablets. All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition. Your own acts testify to this truth. Consider, for instance, that which hath been forbidden, in the Bayán, unto men. God hath in that Book, and by His behest, decreed as lawful whatsoever He hath pleased to decree, and hath, through the power of His sovereign might, forbidden whatsoever He elected to forbid. To this testifieth the text of that Book. Will ye not bear witness? Men, however, have wittingly broken His law. Is such a behavior to be attributed to God, or to their proper selves? Be fair in your judgment. Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is from yourselves. Will ye not comprehend? This same truth hath been revealed in all the Scriptures, if ye be of them that understand. Every act ye meditate is as clear to Him as is that act when already accomplished. There is none other God besides Him. His is all creation and its empire. All stands revealed before Him; all is recorded in His holy and hidden Tablets. This fore-knowledge of God, however, should not be regarded as having caused the actions of men, just as your own previous knowledge that a certain event is to occur, or your desire that it should happen, is not and can never be the reason for its occurrence.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The emancipation of women, ...

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 endeavour will the moral and psychological climate be created in which international peace can emerge.

 The Universal House of Justice, Compilation on Women, 

Some people lay stress on fasting ...

“Some people lay stress on fasting. They affirm that in augmenting the weakness of the body they develop a spiritual sensibility and thus they think to approach God.
 Weakening one’s self physically does not necessarily contribute to spiritual progress. Humility, kindness, resignation, and all these spiritual attributes emanating from great physical strength are acceptable to God. That an enfeebled man cannot fight is not accounted a virtue. Were physical weakness a virtue the dead would be perfect, for they can do nothing.

 If a man be just, kind, humble and merciful and his qualities are acquired through the will-power — this is Godlike. A child cannot kill a man; but a Bonaparte can abstain from war, from shedding blood, from devastating countries. A dumb person will not speak ill of any one, a paralyzed hand cannot strike; but a strong arm can refrain from striking. Justice, love and kindness must be the instruments of strength, not of weakness.

 Exaggerated fasting destroys the divine forces. God has created man in a way that cannot be surpassed; we must not try to change his creation. Strive to attain nearness to reality through the acquisition of strength of character, through morality, through good works and helping the poor, through being consumed with the fire of the love of God and in discovering each day new spiritual mysteries. This is the path of intimate approach.”

Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, pp. 98-99

... outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome,

Even though outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome, yet inwardly it is bounty and tranquillity. Purification and training are conditioned and dependent only on such rigorous exercises as are in accord with the Book of God and sanctioned by Divine law… Whatsoever God hath revealed is beloved of the soul.
Bahá’u’lláh, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting, XVI

 `Abdu’l-Bahá also explained:
The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment. His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most.
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Increasing violence against Iranian Baha'is engineered by government

GENEVA, 6 March 2013.
 In a report released today, the Baha'i International Community documents hundreds of incidents of torture, physical assault, arson, vandalism, cemetery desecration and the abuse of schoolchildren directed against the Iranian Baha'i community since 2005 - all carried out with utter impunity by attackers.
 "The entire situation puts the Baha'is in an impossible position because they must ask for justice and protection from the same authorities who are systematically inciting hatred against them and from a judicial system that treats virtually every Baha'i who is arrested as an enemy of the state," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
 "This report shows that attacks on Baha'is are engineered by government agents and actively encouraged by the authorities and the Muslim clergy in Iran - and that attackers are well aware that they will go unpunished," added Ms. Ala'i. Titled "Violence with Impunity: Acts of aggression against Iran's Baha'i community," the 45-page report provides case studies and statistics that document a rising tide of violence against Baha'is - and the complete absence of prosecution for attackers.

More at : http://news.bahai.org/story/942

I beseech Thee, O my God,

...

Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh at Bahji Acre, Israel.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name which Thou hast made the King of Names, by which all who are in heaven and all who are on earth have been enraptured, to enable me to gaze on the Daystar of Thy Beauty, and to supply me with the wine of Thine utterance. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Tabernacle of Thy majesty upon the loftiest summits, and the Canopy of Thy Revelation on the highest hills, to graciously aid me to do what Thy will hath desired and Thy purpose hath manifested. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come. ...

A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh

In the Prayer of Fasting ...

In the Prayer of Fasting We have revealed: "Should Thy Will decree that out of Thy mouth these words proceed and be addressed unto them, 'Observe, for My Beauty's sake, the fast, O people, and set no limit to its duration,' I swear by the majesty of Thy glory, that every one of them will faithfully observe it, will abstain from whatsoever will violate Thy law, and will continue to do so until they yield up their souls unto Thee." In this consisteth the complete surrender of one's will to the Will of God. Meditate on this, that thou mayest drink in the waters of everlasting life which flow through the words of the Lord of all mankind, and mayest testify that the one true God hath ever been immeasurably exalted above His creatures. He, verily, is the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, the Omniscient, the All-Wise. The station of absolute self-surrender transcendeth, and will ever remain exalted above, every other station.

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, 

بخشی از ترجمه پیام بیت العدل اعظم دربارهٔ رویکرد بهائیان به سیاست:

بخشی از ترجمه پیام بیت العدل اعظم دربارهٔ رویکرد بهائیان به سیاست:

احبّای عزیز الهی در مهد امر الله ملاحظه فرمایند دوستان عزیز و محبوب، ظلم و ستمی که جامعۀ ممتحن و غیور اسم اعظم در سرزمین مقدّس ایران در طیّ سی و چهار سال گذشته با آن مواجه بوده دنبالۀ حملاتی است که در تاریخ صد و شصت و نه سالۀ آیین بهائی همواره با شدّتی کمتر یا بیشتر ادامه داشته است. بر خلاف انتظار کسانی که مصمّم بر تضعیف جمع پیروان حضرت بهاءالله در زادگاه آیین مقدّسش می‌باشند، دسیسه‌های دشمنان بالمآل موجب تقویت روح ایمان احبّا و تحکیم بنیان جامعه شده است. ایرانیان گرامی که خود قربانی مظالم فراوانند نه تنها بر بی‌عدالتی‌های وارده بر بهائیان واقفند بلکه در خدمات خالصانه و مستمرّ این جامعه نیرویی سازنده در جهت تغییر و احیای ایران عزیز مشاهده می‌کنند. با افزایش احساس هم‌دردی ملّت نسبت به هم‌وطنان بهائی خود، ندای مردم شریف آن سرزمین برای رفع موانعی که شما را از مشارکت در عرصه‌های مختلف حیات اجتماع باز می‌دارد بلندتر می‌شود. پس جای تعجّب نیست اگر سؤالات مربوط به موضع بهائیان نسبت به امور سیاسی اهمّیّت بیشتری ‌بیابد.

در طول تاریخ، جامعۀ بهائی ایران در ارتباط با امور سیاسی با موقعیّت خاصّی رو به رو بوده است بدین معنی که از یک طرف به‌ غلط مورد اتّهاماتی چون داشتن انگیزه‌های سیاسی، جبهه‌گیری علیه حکومت وقت و یا جاسوسی برای قدرت‌های خارجی قرار گرفته و از طرف دیگر در نظر برخی، تمسّک محکم بهائیان به اصل عدم دخالت در سیاست‌های حزبی به بی‌توجّهی آنان نسبت به مصالح هم‌میهنان‌شان تعبیر شده است. حال که اهداف واقعی مخالفین آیین بهائی برملا گردیده شایسته است که به علاقۀ روز‌افزون ایرانیان به درک نگرش بهائیان نسبت به سیاست پاسخ گویید مبادا سوء‌ تفاهمات موجب سستی پیوندهای دوستی و رفاقتی گردد که با نفوس بی‌شماری برقرار ‌ساخته‌اید. سزاوار آنست که در این پاسخ فقط به چند جملۀ کوتاه، هرچند مهم، در بارۀ محبّت‌ و یگانگی اکتفا نکنید بلکه تصویری از چارچوبی که رویکرد جامعۀ بهائی را نسبت به این موضوع شکل می‌دهد برای هم‌وطنان عزیز خود ترسیم نمایید.

http://www.payamha-iran12.info/payam/2013-03-01.html

"sun" and "moon"

Moreover, in the traditions the terms "sun" and "moon" have been applied to prayer and fasting, even as it is said: "Fasting is illumination, prayer is light." One day, a well-known divine came to visit Us. While We were conversing with him, he referred to the above-quoted tradition. He said: "Inasmuch as fasting causeth the heat of the body to increase, it hath therefore been likened unto the light of the sun; and as the prayer of the night-season refresheth man, it hath been compared unto the radiance of the moon." Thereupon We realized that that poor man had not been favoured with a single drop of the ocean of true understanding, and had strayed far from the burning Bush of divine wisdom. We then politely observed to him saying: "The interpretation your honour hath given to this tradition is the one current amongst the people. Could it not be interpreted differently?" He asked Us: "What could it be?" We made reply: "Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, and the most distinguished of God's chosen Ones, hath likened the Dispensation of the Qur'an unto heaven, by reason of its loftiness, its paramount influence, its majesty, and the fact that it comprehendeth all religions. And as the sun and moon constitute the brightest and most prominent luminaries in the heavens, similarly in the heaven of the religion of God two shining orbs have been ordained -- fasting and prayer. 'Islam is heaven; fasting is its sun, prayer, its moon.'"

Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan,