یکی از آثار جذبیّه حضرت بهاءاللّه نازله در سلیمانیه

قصیدۀ ساقی از غیب بقا

این قصیدۀ مبارکه در سلیمانیه بسال 1271 هجری قمری نازل شده است که در تمامی آن از عشق و شراب معنوی و محویّت در جمال گردگار سخن میگویند تخلّص مبارک در این قطعه نیز «درویش» است.

حضرت بهاءاللّه از ظهور مقام مظهریّت خویش یاد فرموده و نَفس مقدّس خود را «مستور شیدائی» لقب داده اند.

آتش عشق الهی هستی ها را بسوزاند و مقام فناء فی اللّه رخ بگشاید از غیر خدا بگذرد و به مُلک باقی اندر آید و با نثار جان و دل بسوی محبوب حقیقی بشتابد تا سزاوار دیدار جمال دوست«بهاء» گردد. چشم عبرت لازم است تا اسرار عشق شناخته شود و ملاحظه نماید که طور موسی طائف حول مقام اوست و روح عیسی بیقرار از عشق اوست.

ساقی از غیب بقا بُرقع بر افکن از عَذار // تا بنوشم خمر باقی از جمال گردگار

آنچه در خُمخانه داری نشکند صفرای عشق // زان شراب معنوی ساقی همی بحری بیار

تا که این مستور شیدائی در آید در خروش // تا که این مخمور ربّانی بر آید از خمار

نار عشقی بر فروز و جمله هستی ها بسوز // پس قَدم بر دار و اندر کوی عشّاقان گذار

تا نگردی فانی از وصف وجود ای مرد راه // کِی چشی خمر بقا از لعل نوشین نگار

پای نِه بر فرق مُلک آنگه درآ در ظلّ فقر // تا ببینی مُلک باقی را کنون از هر کنار

گر خیال جان همی هستت بدِل اینجا میا // گر نثار جان و دل داری بیا و هم بیار

رسم ره اینست گر وصل بهاء داری طلب // گر نباشی مرد این ره دور شو زحمت میار

گر همی خواهی که گردی واقف از اسرار عشق // چشم عبرت بر گشا بر بند راه افتخار

تا ببینی طور موسی طائف اینجا آمده // تا ببینی روح عیسی را ز عشقش بیقرار

تا بیابی دفتر توحید از زلفین دوست // تا بخوانی مُصحف تجرید از خدین یار

هین بِکِش خمر فرح از چشمۀ حَیوان عشق // تا به فیروزی سر اندازی همی در پای یار

مردگانند در این انجمن اندر ره دوست // ای مسیحای زمان هان نَفَسی گرم بر آر

تا که بَر پَرَند اطیارِ وجود از سجن تن // تا فضای لامکان در ظلّ صاحب اختیار

درویش جهان سوخت از این شعلۀ جانسوز الهی // وقت آنست کنی زنده از این نغمۀ زار

جمال مبارک ملاحظه فرمودند که مردمان از مُردگان محسو بند و دَم گرم مسیحائی لازم است تا از قفس تن آزاد شوند و بفضای قدس لامکان به پرواز آیند. هنگامیکه آن روح قدسی الهی ( حضرت بهاءاللّه ) غرق دریای شور و نشور و عشق میگردد بیان مبارکش از حدّ وزن و قافیه فراتر میرود و در بیت پایانی میفرمایند : 

درویش جهان سوخت از این شعلۀ جانسوز الهی // وقت آنست کنی زنده از این نغمۀ راز

پانزده بیت از این قصیده در دست بهائیان موجود است.

نقل ازعنقای بقا در قاف وفا. امیر فرهنگ ایمانی

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This is my prayer and exhortation...

Abdul-Baha aboard Celtic leaving USA

5 December 1912,
Talk on Day of Departure On Board Steamship Celtic,
New York, USA.

 .. Beware lest ye offend any heart, lest ye speak against anyone in his absence, lest ye estrange yourselves from the servants of God. You must consider all His servants as your own family and relations. Direct your whole effort toward the happiness of those who are despondent, bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble. Be a helper to every helpless one, and manifest kindness to your fellow creatures in order that ye may attain the good pleasure of God. This is conducive to the illumination of the world of humanity and eternal felicity for yourselves. I seek from God everlasting glory in your behalf; therefore, this is my prayer and exhortation...

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

Summon ye the people to God and ...

... Summon ye the people to God and call the souls to the manners and conduct of the Supreme Concourse. To the orphans be ye kind fathers, and to the unfortunate a refuge and shelter. To the poor be a treasure of wealth, and to the sick a remedy and healing. Be a helper of every oppressed one, the protector of every destitute one, be ye ever mindful to serve any soul of mankind. Attach no importance to self-seeking, rejection, arrogance, oppression and enmity. Heed them not. Deal in the contrary way. Be kind in truth, not only in appearance and outwardly. Every soul of the friends of God must concentrate his mind on this, that he may manifest the mercy of God and the bounty of the Forgiving One. He must do good to every soul whom he encounters, and render benefit to him, becoming the cause of improving the morals and correcting the thoughts so that the light of guidance may shine forth and the bounty of His Holiness the Merciful One may encompass. Love is light in whatsoever house it may shine and enmity is darkness in whatsoever abode it dwell.
 O friends of God! Strive ye so that this darkness may be utterly dispelled and the Hidden Mystery may be revealed and the realities of things made evident and manifest.

Selected Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

پیام خطاب به بهائیان ایران ٢٧ آذر ١۳۹۳

بنای مشرق‌الأذکار تجلّی‌گاه قوای روحانی و کانون منضمّات و ملحقاتی است که به منظور رفاه نوع بشر و بروز و تحقّق ارادۀ جمعی برای خدمات همگانی تأسیس می‌گردد. این ملحقات شامل مراکز آموزشی، علمی، فرهنگی و اقدامات عام‌ّ المنفعه، مظهر آرمان‌های پیشرفت اجتماعی و تعالی معنوی با استفاده از علم و دانش بشری است و نشان می‌دهد که چون علم و دین با هم هماهنگ شوند راه‌گشای ارتقای مقام انسان و شکوفایی تمدّن ‌گردند. همان ‌طور که به خوبی مطّلع و به آن عاملید، نیایش و پرستش پروردگار اگرچه ریشه در فطرت بشری داشته و عامل ترقّی حیات معنوی است ولی باید منشأ ثمر و اثری در عالم وجود گردد و این جدایی‌نا‌پذیریِ عبادت و خدمتِ به هم‌نوع است که مؤسّسۀ مشرق‌الأذکار آن را تجسّم و تحقّق می‌بخشد.
 در این رابطه به ترجمۀ فارسی بیانی از حضرت ولیّ‌ عزیز امر الله توجّه فرمایید که می‌فرمایند: "عبادت بهائی هر قدر مفهومش متعالی و انجذابش شدید باشد ولی جدا از اقدامات اجتماعی و بشر‌دوستانه و مساعی آموزشی و علمیِ متمرکز در ملحقات مشرق‌الأذکار، هرگز نمی‌تواند نتایجی برتر از ثمرات ناچیز و غالباً زودگذر حاصله از تأمّلات زاهد گوشه‌گیر و یا عبادات عابد بی‌تحرّک داشته باشد. این‌چنین عبادتی نمی‌تواند به نفسِ عبادت‌کننده رضایت و نفعی پایدار ببخشد تا چه رسد به عامّۀ نوع بشر مگر آنکه در خدمت مجدّانه و خالصانه به عالم انسانی حلول و تجسّد یابد، خدمتی که ترویج آن اعظم موهبت ملحقات مشرق‌الأذکار است..."

دوستان عزیز و محبوب، جلسات دعا و مناجات در آن سرزمین مقدّس، در هر شهر، در هر محلّه، و در هر ده و قصبه، و دسترسی بیشتر دوستان و آشنایان به مناجات‌های بهائی، شما عزیزان را قادر می‌سازد تا بیش از پیش با برادران و خواهران روحانی خود در سراسر عالم در انتشار نور اتّحاد سهیم باشید. پس بدین سان و تا سر حدّ امکان بکوشید و بذر‌های مشارق ‌اذکار آینده و ملحقات عامّ ‌المنفعه‌اش را بیافشانید و هزاران هزار شمع نورانی در مقابل تاریکی ظلم و عدوان برافروزید.
 [امضا: بیت العدل اعظم]

Hearts must be changed

Fighting, and the employment of force, even for the right cause, will not bring about good results. The oppressed who have right on their side, must not take that right by force; the evil would continue. Hearts must be changed.
The rich must wish to give! Life in man should be like a flame, warming all with whom it comes into contact. The spiritually awakened are like to bright torches in the sight of God, they give light and comfort to their fellows.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London

Bahá’u’lláh’s Principle of Collective Security

How clear, how prophetic, must sound the words uttered by Bahá’u’lláh in the light of recent international developments:—“Be united, O concourse of the sovereigns of the world, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.”

“The time must come,” He, foreshadowing the tentative efforts that are now being made, has written, “when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace among men… Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him.”

Shoghi Effendi: The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. Page 192

From the beginning of human history ...

From the beginning of human history down to this time the world of humanity has not enjoyed a day of absolute rest and relaxation from conflict and strife. Most of the wars have been caused by religious prejudice, fanaticism and sectarian hatred. Religionists have anathematized religionists, each considering the other as deprived of the mercy of God, abiding in gross darkness and the children of Satan. For example, the Christians and Muslims considered the Jews satanic and the enemies of God. Therefore, they cursed and persecuted them. Great numbers of Jews were killed, their houses burned and pillaged, their children carried into captivity. The Jews in turn regarded the Christians as infidels and the Muslims as enemies and destroyers of the law of Moses. Therefore, they call down vengeance upon them and curse them even to this day...
When the light of Bahá’u’lláh dawned from the East, He proclaimed the promise of the oneness of humanity. He addressed all mankind, saying, “Ye are all the fruits of one tree... It is not becoming in man to curse another; it is not befitting that man should attribute darkness to another; it is not meet that one human being should consider another human being as bad; nay, rather, all mankind are the servants of one God; God is the Father of all; there is not a single exception to that law.

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

A year has gone by so quickly...

Today is the 1st anniversary of passing of my dear sister-in-law, Roya.
I would like to share part of a prayer by Abdu’l-Bahá on this occasion.
 
... Bestow upon Thy heavenly handmaiden, O God, the holy fragrances born of the spirit of Thy forgiveness. Cause her to dwell in a blissful abode, heal her griefs with the balm of Thy reunion, and, in accordance with Thy will, grant her admission to Thy holy Paradise. Let the angels of Thy loving-kindness descend successively upon her, and shelter her beneath Thy blessed Tree.
 Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful.

 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

... the unity of the world of humanity...

At a time when warfare and strife prevailed among nations, when enmity and hatred separated sects and denominations and human differences were very great, Bahá’u’lláh appeared upon the horizon of the East, proclaiming the oneness of God and the unity of the world of humanity. He promulgated the teaching that all mankind are the servants of one God; that all have come into being through the bestowal of the one Creator; that God is kind to all, nurtures, rears and protects all, provides for all and extends His love and mercy to all races and people.

Inasmuch as God is loving, why should we be unjust and unkind? As God manifests loyalty and mercy, why should we show forth enmity and hatred? Surely the divine policy is more perfect than human plan and theory; for no matter how wise and sagacious man may become, he can never attain a policy that is superior to the policy of God.
Therefore, we must emulate the attitude of God, love all people, be just and kind to every human creature. We must consider all as the leaves, branches and fruit of one tree, children of one household; for all are the progeny of Adam. We are waves of one sea, grass of the same meadow, stars in the same heaven; and we find shelter in the universal divine Protector. If one be sick, he must be treated; the ignorant must be educated; the sleeping must be awakened; the dead must be quickened with life. These were principles of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

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

Human utterance is an ....

Human utterance is an essence which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement, which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets.
O My Name! Utterance must needs possess penetrating power. For if bereft of this quality it would fail to exert influence. And this penetrating influence dependeth on the spirit being pure and the heart stainless. Likewise it needeth moderation, without which the hearer would be unable to bear it, rather he would manifest opposition from the very outset. And moderation will be obtained by blending utterance with the tokens of divine wisdom which are recorded in the sacred Books and Tablets. Thus when the essence of one’s utterance is endowed with these two requisites it will prove highly effective and will be the prime factor in transforming the souls of men...

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh P.199

O ye children of men!

The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure.
 Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the remedy it requireth….It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Tablets of Abdul-Baha

‘Abdu'l-Bahá

Verily I beseech God to make thee a sign of supplication, humbleness and submissiveness unto God, so that thou mayest commune with thy Lord, in the gloomy hours of night and in the morn and eve while being enkindled with the fire of the love of God, attracted to His fragrances of holiness, strengthened by His Spirit, speaking His praise and bowing down before His Threshold of Sanctity. Verily, He is the Assister, the Beneficent!
Then know thou that, verily, the hosts of confirmation from the Kingdom of God will assist every soul who is severed from aught else save God, is associated with the commemoration of God and is rejoiced at the glad-tidings of God. Cut thyself from this world and rely on the Supreme Concourse, so that thou mayest heart the call from the Lofty Apex and thy face may become illuminated with a light shining forth from the Kingdom of El-ABHA.

Tablets of Abdul-Baha 

Hear Me, ye mortal birds!

http://www.bahaiwritingsasart.com/

Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very  essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart’s desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest...

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

کودکی حضرت بهاءالله

بهاءالله لقبی است به معنای «شکوه الهی». حضرت بهاءالله در ٢١ آبان سال ١١٩٦هجری شمسی (١٢نوامبر ١٨١٧میلادی) درطهران، ایران متولّد شدند. ایشان را حسینعلی نام نهادند. پدر آن حضرت یکی از وزیران دولتی ثروتمند به نام میرزا بزرگ نوری بودند. نسل این خاندان به سلسله های بزرگ گذشتۀ امپراطوری ایران می رسد. حضرت بهاءالله در جوانی زندگی شاهانه ای داشتند؛ تحصیلاتشان بیشتر بر خطاطی، سوارکاری، شعر کلاسیک و شمشیربازی متمرکز بود.

فرزندشان حضرت عبدالبهاء، دربارۀ کودکی ایشان چنین می فرمایند: «...حضرت بهاءالله از طبقۀ نجبا و اصیل فارس بودند. از همان اوان طفولیت از سایر اطفال متمایز بودند.... در حکمت و هوش و علم جدید ذاتی، فراتر از نفوس هم سن و سال و هم طبقۀ خود بودند. همۀ کسانی که ایشان را می شناختند، از این بلوغ شگفت انگیز متحیّر بودند. آنها معمولاً می گفتند ′چنین طفلی استثنایی زنده نخواهد ماند′ زیرا باور عموم بر آن بود که شگفتی های کودک پیش از موعد او را به کام مرگ خواهد کشید، پیش از آن که او به بلوغ رسد.»

http://bahaullah.persian-bahai.org/iran/bahaullah-childhood/

An ever-advancing civilization.

 "All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him Who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created."

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Let not this life and its deceits ...

 "Say: O people! Let not this life and its deceits deceive you, for the world and all that is therein is held firmly in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His favor on whom He willeth, and from whom He willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He chooseth. Had the world been of any worth in His sight, He surely would never have allowed His enemies to possess it, even to the extent of a grain of mustard seed.

He hath, however, caused you to be entangled with its affairs, in return for what your hands have wrought in His Cause. This, indeed, is a chastisement which ye, of your own will, have inflicted upon yourselves, could ye but perceive it. Are ye rejoicing in the things which, according to the estimate of God, are contemptible and worthless, things wherewith He proveth the hearts of the doubtful?"

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

... summon all mankind to ...

Verily I say: Incline your ears to My sweet voice, and sanctify yourselves from the defilement of your evil passions and corrupt desires. They who dwell within the tabernacle of God, and are established  upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands and seize unlawfully the property of their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be.
The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The Purpose of the one true God ..

The Purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves. That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion. These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated. Gird up the loins of your endeavor, O people of Bahá, that haply the tumult of religious dissension and strife that agitateth the peoples of the earth may be stilled, that every trace of it may be completely obliterated. For the love of God, and them that serve Him, arise to aid this most sublime and momentous Revelation. Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction….
The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The Anniversary of the Birth of the Báb

This glorious Tablet hath been revealed on the Anniversary of the Birth of the
Báb that thou mayest recite it in a spirit of humility and supplication and give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Make thou every effort to render service unto God, that from thee may appear that which will immortalize thy memory in His glorious and exalted heaven.
Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I implore Thee by the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and by the Revealer of Thy clear tokens to grant that I may, under all conditions, hold fast the cord of Thy loving providence and cling tenaciously to the hem of Thy generosity. Reckon me then with those whom the changes and chances of the world have failed to deter from serving Thee and from bearing allegiance unto Thee, whom the onslaught of the people hath been powerless to hinder from magnifying Thy Name and celebrating Thy praise. Graciously assist me, O my Lord, to do whatever Thou lovest and desirest. Enable me then to fulfil that which will exalt Thy Name and will set ablaze the fire of Thy love.
Thou art, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh

... rendering some service ...

Soon will your swiftly-passing days be over, and the fame and riches, the comforts, the joys provided by this rubbish-heap, the world, will be gone without a trace. ...Think ye at all times of rendering some service to every member of the human race. Pay ye no heed to aversion and rejection, to disdain, hostility, injustice: act ye in the opposite way. Be ye sincerely kind, not in appearance only.
Let each one of God’s loved ones centre his attention on this: to be the Lord’s mercy to man; to be the Lord’s grace. Let him do some good to every person whose path he crosseth, and be of some benefit to him.
 Be ye loving fathers to the orphan, and a refuge to the helpless, and a treasury for the poor, and a cure for the ailing. Be ye the helpers of every victim of oppression, the patrons of the disadvantaged.

Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Warfare has ever been the ...

The divine religions were founded for the purpose of unifying humanity and It is the peace element in religion that blends mankind and makes for unity. Warfare has ever been the cause of separation, disunion and discord...
 Any movement which brings about peace and agreement in human society is truly a divine movement; any reform which causes people to come together under the shelter of the same tabernacle is surely animated by heavenly motives. At all times and in all ages of the world, religion has been a factor in cementing together the hearts of men and in uniting various and divergent creeds.
The central purpose of the divine religions is the establishment of peace and unity among mankind. Their reality is one; therefore, their accomplishment is one and universal—whether it be through the essential or material ordinances of God. There is but one light of the material sun, one ocean, one rain, one atmosphere. Similarly, in the spiritual world there is one divine reality forming the center and altruistic basis for peace and reconciliation among various and conflicting nations and peoples.

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

Show forbearance and benevolence and ...

Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one another. Should anyone among you be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be striving to comprehend it, show forth, when conversing with him, a spirit of extreme kindliness and goodwill. Help him to see and recognize the truth, without esteeming yourself to be, in the least, superior to him, or to be possessed of greater endowments.
The whole duty of man in this Day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth forth for him.
Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle. The portion of some might lie in the palm of a man’s hand, the portion of others might fill a cup, and of others even a gallon-measure.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Thine eye is My trust ...

Thine eye is My trust, suffer not the dust of vain desires to becloud its luster. Thine ear is a sign of My bounty, let not the tumult of unseemly motives turn it away from My Word that encompasseth all creation. Thine heart is My treasury, allow not the treacherous hand of self to rob thee of the pearls which I have treasured therein. Thine hand is a symbol of My loving-kindness, hinder it not from holding fast unto My guarded and hidden Tablets….
Unasked, I have showered upon thee My grace. Unpetitioned, I have fulfilled thy wish. In spite of thy undeserving, I have singled thee out for My richest, My incalculable favors….
O My servants! Be as resigned and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge. Be ablaze as the fire, that ye may burn away the veils of heedlessness  and set aglow, through the quickening energies of the love of God, the chilled and wayward heart. Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My court, My inviolable Sanctuary.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Open, the city of the human heart with ...

"Open, O people, the city of the human heart with the key of your utterance. Thus have We, according to a pre-ordained measure, prescribed unto you your duty.
By the righteousness of God! The world and its vanities, and its glory, and whatever delights it can offer, are all, in the sight of God, as worthless as, nay, even more contemptible than, dust and ashes. Would that the hearts of men could comprehend it! Cleanse yourselves thoroughly, O people of Bahá, from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness. The things of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon this most holy and effulgent Vision.
That which beseemeth you is the love of God, and the love of Him Who is the Manifestation of His Essence, and the observance of whatsoever He chooseth to prescribe unto you, did ye but know it."

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

All around us today we see how man surrounds himself with every modern convenience and luxury, and denies nothing to the physical and material side of his nature. But, take heed, lest in thinking too earnestly of the things of the body you forget the things of the soul: for material advantages do not elevate the spirit of a man. Perfection in worldly things is a joy to the body of a man but in no wise does it glorify his soul."It is indeed a good and praiseworthy thing to progress materially, but in so doing, let us not neglect the more important spiritual progress, and close our eyes to the Divine light shining in our midst.
Only by improving spiritually as well as materially can we make any real progress, and become perfect beings. It was in order to bring this spiritual life and light into the world that all the great Teachers have appeared. They came so that the Sun of Truth might be manifested, and shine in the hearts of men, and that through its wondrous power men might attain unto Everlasting Light."

`Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks

The purpose of the one true God in ...

Verily I say: Incline your ears to My sweet voice, and sanctify yourselves from the defilement of your evil passions and corrupt desires. They who dwell within the tabernacle of God, and are established upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands and seize unlawfully the property of their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be.
"The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The power of the intellect is ...

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The power of the intellect is one of God’s greatest gifts to men, it is the power that makes him a higher creature than the animal. For whereas, century by century and age by age man’s intelligence grows and becomes keener, that of the animal remains the same. They are no more intelligent today then they were a thousand years ago! Is there a greater proof than this needed to show man’s dissimilarity to the animal creation? It is surely as clear as day.
As for the spiritual perfections they are man’s birthright and belong to him alone of all creation. Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy. This spiritual longing and perception belongs to all men alike, and it is my firm conviction that the Western people possess great spiritual aspiration.
It is my fervent prayer that the star of the East will shed its brilliant rays on the Western world, and that the people of the West may arise in strength, earnestness, and courage, to help their brethren in the East.

`Abdu'l-Bahá,  Paris Talks

Beautify your tongues, O people, with ...

He hath chosen out of the whole world the hearts of His servants, and made them each a seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify them from every defilement, that the things for which they were created may be engraven upon them. This indeed is a token of God’s bountiful favor.
 "Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost. Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His good-pleasure. Such are the counsels which I bequeath unto you. Would that ye might follow My counsels!"

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Pages 294-297

... the rising fires of religious prejudice ...

On 27 May 2014,seven candles were lit by
 the representatives of the UK's major
religions at a gathering at Westminster Abbey,
 each representing  one of Iran's imprisoned
 former Baha'i leaders.

As His journey continued in Europe and North America, 'Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah and head of the Baha'i Faith after His passing, reiterated in many public addresses that, just as mankind is one, religions are likewise one, and that while in outward form religions are many, their reality is one, just as the "days are many, but the sun is one".
 More recently, in its letter to the world's religious leaders in 2002, the Universal House of Justice identified religious prejudice as an increasingly dangerous force in the world.
 "With every day that passes, danger grows that the rising fires of religious prejudice will ignite a worldwide conflagration the consequences of which are unthinkable," It wrote. "The crisis calls on religious leadership for a break with the past as decisive as those that opened the way for society to address equally corrosive prejudices of race, gender and nation."

Baha'i World News Service.

ای پسر انصاف, O SON OF JUSTICE

ای پسر انصاف 

 کدام عاشق كه جز در وطن معشوق محلّ گيرد و کدام طالب که بی مطلوب راحت جويد ؟ عاشق صادق را حيات در وصال است و موت در فراق * صدرشان از صبر خالی و قلوبشان از اصطبار مقدّس از صد هزار جان درگذرند و بکوی جانان شتابند *

حضرت بهاءالله,  کلمات مکنونه فارسی

O SON OF JUSTICE!
Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved? and what seeker findeth rest away from his heart’s desire? To the true lover reunion is life, and separation is death. His breast is void of patience and his heart hath no peace. A myriad lives he would forsake to hasten to the abode of his beloved.

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

پیام بیت العدل اعظم الهی خطاب به دانشجویان بهائی ایران که از تحصیلات عالیه محروم شده‌اند

....
عکس‌العمل بعضی از مردم در مقابل رنج و عذاب قیام بر علیه ظالم ستمگر است، برخی دیگر چاره‌ای جز فرار ندارند و گروهی نیز تسلیم سرنوشت خود می‌شوند. در حالی که مردم ستمدیدۀ دنیا اغلب قربانی نیروهای پراکندۀ ظلم و ستم هستند، امّا شما به وضوح می‌دانید که چرا این مشکلات و ناملایمات را تحمّل می‌نمایید و بدین ترتیب عکس‌العمل شما نیز باید به همان درجه روشن و واضح باشد. به بیانات و انذارات حضرت بهاءالله و حضرت عبدالبهاء توجّه نمایید که می‌فرمایند. "...بخود مشغول نباشید در فکر اصلاح عالم و تهذیب امم باشید. اصلاح عالم از اعمال طیّبۀ طاهره و اخلاق راضیۀ مرضیّه بوده..."،منتخباتی از آثار حضرت بهاءالله، شمارۀ 43، صفحۀ 67 "...باعراض و انکار و استکبار و ظلم و عدوان اهمّیّت ندهید و اعتنا نکنید بالعکس معامله نمائید..."، "...اگر زهر دهند قند بخشند..."، "...هر نفسی از شما در هر شهری که وارد گردد به خلق و خوی و صدق و وفا و محبّت و امانت و دیانت و مهربانی بعموم عالم انسانی مشار بالبنان گردد..."، "...معین هر مظلومی باشید و مجیر هر محروم..."، "...بهر نفسی برسد خیری بنماید و نفعی برساند..."، "...خالصاً مخلصاً لله بوعظ و نصیحت عموم برخیزند تا دیدۀ اهالی از این کحل بینش معارف روشن و بصیر گردد...".رسالۀ مدنیّه صادره از قلم مبارک حضرت عبدالبهاء، صفحۀ 47
 آیا حضرت بهاءالله برای انتشار این تعالیم شخصاً تحمّل هر نوع محنت و بلا نفرمودند؟ آیا آن حضرت حبس و تبعید را برای آزادی اهل عالم قبول نفرمودند؟ "قد قیّد جمال القدم ﻻطلاق العالم و حبس فی الحصن الاعظم لعتق العالمین...". منتخباتی از آثار حضرت بهاءالله، شمارۀ 45، صفحۀ

 بنابراین با وجدانی روشن و دیدگاهی عالم‌بین، با احتراز کامل از دخالت در هیچ نوع سیاست حزبی، و با رعایت حرمت قوانین و نظم اجتماعی، برای احیای وطن خود بیش از پیش جهد و کوشش نمایید. با اعمال و خدمات پسندیده و مهر و محبّت واقعی به همه، قلوب اطرافیان خود را بدست آورید و حتّی احترام دشمنان سرسخت خود را نیز جلب نمایید. صداقت و امانت و خلوص نیّت خود را به ثبوت رسانید و برای جامعۀ اسم اعظم در سرزمین زادگاهش حرمت و پذیرش روزافزون بدست آورید. گمان مبرید که آنچه مذکور شد صرفاً عباراتی برای آرامش قلوب شکستۀ شما و مرهمی بر زخم‌های شما است. به نتایج حاصله از رفتار و کردار باانضباط بهائیان ایران در مقابل تضییقات واردۀ بعد از انقلاب سال 1357 بیندیشید. آیا روش و سلوک آنان در مقابل ظلم‌های وارده تحسین تعداد فزاینده‌ای از هموطنان شما را جلب نکرده است؟ دفاع شما از حقوق حقّۀ خود البتّه شرط عدل و انصاف است. علاوه بر آن، کلّیّۀ وسایل قانونی موجود نیز برای دفاع از حقوق شما در حال حرکت است. آیا دول مختلف، سازمان‌های مدنی در سطح ملّی و بین‌المللی و مؤسّسات معظم و معروف علمی عالم برای دفاع از حقوق شما قیام نکرده‌اند؟ البتّه که شما تنها نیستید. ولی پشتکار و استقامت شما در این راه باید با بردباری توأم باشد و بخوبی بدانید که صبر و تحمّل ..برای پیشبرد فرایندهای تحوّل اجتماعی که بالطّبیعه با سرعت کم پیش می‌رود با درد و مشقّت توأم و همراه است.

پیام بیت العدل اعظم الهی خطاب به دانشجویان بهائی ایران که از تحصیلات عالیه محروم شده‌اند

Such is God’s transforming power ...

Behold how in this Dispensation the worthless and foolish have fondly imagined that by such instruments as massacre, plunder and banishment they can extinguish the Lamp which the Hand of Divine power hath lit, or eclipse the Day Star of everlasting splendor. How utterly unaware they seem to be of the truth that such adversity is the oil that feedeth the flame of this Lamp! 
Such is God’s transforming power. He changeth whatsoever He willeth; He verily hath power over all things….

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

The earth is one native land ..

The earth is one native land, one home; and all mankind are the children of one Father. God has created them, and they are the recipients of His compassion. Therefore, if anyone offends another, he offends God. It is the wish of our heavenly Father that every heart should rejoice and be filled with happiness, that we should live together in felicity and joy. The obstacle to human happiness is racial or religious prejudice, the competitive struggle for existence and inhumanity toward each other...
Beware lest ye offend any heart, lest ye speak against anyone in his absence, lest ye estrange yourselves from the servants of God. You must consider all His servants as your own family and relations. Direct your whole effort toward the happiness of those who are despondent, bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble.
Be a helper to every helpless one, and manifest kindness to your fellow creatures in order that ye may attain the good pleasure of God. This is conducive to the illumination of the world of humanity and eternal felicity for yourselves. I seek from God everlasting glory in your behalf; therefore, this is my prayer and exhortation.

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

MARCHING TOWARD THEIR GOAL

Pregnant indeed are the years looming ahead of us all. The twin processes of internal disintegration and external chaos are being accelerated and every day are inexorably moving towards a climax. The rumblings that must precede the eruption of those forces that must cause “the limbs of humanity to quake” can already be heard. “The time of the end,” “the latter years,” as foretold in the Scriptures, are at long last upon us. The Pen of Bahá’u’lláh, the voice of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, have time and again, insistently and in terms unmistakable, warned an unheeding humanity of impending disaster. The Community of the Most Great Name, the leaven that must leaven the lump, the chosen remnant that must survive the rolling up of the old, discredited, tottering order, and assist in the unfoldment of a new one in its stead, is standing ready, alert, clear-visioned, and resolute. The American believers, standard-bearers of this world-wide community and torch-bearers of an as yet unborn civilization, have girt up their loins, unfurled their banners and stepped into the arena of s
ervice. Their Plan has been formulated. Their forces are mobilized. They are steadfastly marching towards their goal. The hosts of the Abhá Kingdom are rushing forth, as promised, to direct their steps and reinforce their power.

Shoghi Effendu, letter dated July 5, 1938; ‘Messages to America’

Iran's crisis of civilization ...

Iran's crisis of civilization will be resolved neither by blind imitation of an obviously defective Western culture nor by retreat into medieval ignorance. The answer to the dilemma was enunciated on the very threshold of the crisis, in the clearest and most compelling language, by a distinguished Son of Iran Who is today honoured in every continent of the world, but sadly not in the land of His birth.
Persia's poetic genius captures the irony: "I searched the wide world over for my Beloved, while my Beloved was waiting for me in my own home."

Day of the Covenant 26 November 2003:
To the Followers of Baha'u'llah in the Cradle of the Faith by
 Universal House of Justice

The greatest gift of man is universal love...

The greatest gift of man is universal love — that magnet which renders existence
eternal. It attracts realities and diffuses life with infinite joy. If this love penetrate the heart of man, all the forces of the universe will be realized in him, for it is a divine power which transports him to a divine station and he will make no progress until he is illumined thereby. Strive to increase the love-power of reality, to make your hearts greater centers of attraction and to create new ideals and relationships.
First of all, be ready to sacrifice your lives for one another, to prefer the general well-being to your personal well-being. Create relationships that nothing can shake; form an assembly that nothing can break up; have a mind that never ceases acquiring riches that nothing can destroy. If love did not exist, what of reality would remain? It is the fire of the love of God which renders man superior to the animal. Strengthen this superior force through which is attained all the progress in the world. May the light of divine advancement shine upon you. This is the glory and progress of man. This is eternal life.

'Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 111

God in his wisdom has

God in his wisdom has created all things. Nothing has been created
without special destiny, for every creature has an innate station of attainment. This flower has been created to mirror forth a harmonious ensemble of color and perfume. Each kingdom of nature holds potentialities and each must be cultivated in order to reach its fulfillment. The divine teachers desire man to be educated that he may attain to the high rank of his own reality, the deprivation of which is the rank of perdition. The flower needs light that it may achieve its fruitage;  man needs the light of the Holy Spirit, and the measure of illumination throughout creation is proportionate to the different kingdoms.
When we come to the estate of man, we find his kingdom is vested with a divine superiority. Compared to the animal, his perfection or his imperfection is superior. In comparison with man the perfection of a flower is insignificant.
Yet if a man remain content in an undeveloped state viewed from the point of capacity he is the lowest of creatures. If he attain unto his heritage through divine wisdom, then he becomes a clear mirror in which the beauty of God is reflected; he has eternal life and becomes a participator of the sun of truth. This is to show you how considerable are the degrees of human achievement.

'Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 110-111

Our Inner Life ...

Humanity, through suffering and turmoil, is swiftly moving on towards its destiny;
if we be loiterers, if we fail to play our part surely others will be called upon to take up our task as ministers to the crying needs of this afflicted world.
Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of new and noble principles, not by an organized campaign of teaching—no matter how worldwide and elaborate in its character—not even by the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and sceptical age the supreme claim of the Abhá Revelation. One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh.

Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration

Beautify your tongues, O people, with ...

Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls
with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost. Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His good-pleasure. Such are the counsels which I bequeath unto you. Would that ye might follow My counsels!

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Unlock the gates of the hearts of men with ...

Unlock, O people, the gates of the hearts of men with the keys of the remembrance of Him Who is the Remembrance of God and the Source of wisdom amongst you. He hath chosen out of the whole world the hearts of His servants, and made them each a seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify them from every defilement, that the things for which they were created may be engraven upon them. This indeed is a token of God’s bountiful favor. Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

A True Bahá’í

A student of the modern methods of the higher criticism asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá if he would do well to continue in the church with which he had been associated all his life, and whose language was full of meaning to him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá answered: “You must not dissociate yourself from it. Know this; the Kingdom of God is not in any Society; some seekers go through many Societies as a traveller goes through many cities till he reach his destination. If you belong to a Society already do not forsake your brothers.
You can be a Bahá’í-Christian, a Bahá’í-Freemason, a Bahá’í-Jew, a Bahá’í-Muḥammadán. The number nine contains eight, and seven, and all the other numbers, and does not deny any of them. Do not distress or deny anyone by saying ‘He is not a Bahá’í!’ He will be known by his deeds. There are no secrets among Bahá’ís; a Bahá’í does not hide anything.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London

A Prayer of The Báb

In the Name of God, the Lord of overpowering majesty, the All-
Compelling. Hallowed be the Lord in Whose hand is the source of dominion. He createth whatsoever He willeth by His Word of command “Be,” and it is. His hath been the power of authority heretofore, and it shall remain His hereafter. He maketh victorious whomsoever He pleaseth, through the potency of His behest...
.. Immeasurably exalted art Thou, O Lord! Protect us from what lieth in front of us and behind us, above our heads, on our right, on our left, below our feet and every other side to which we are exposed.
 Verily, Thy protection over all things is unfailing.¹

 The Báb

 ¹ The original of this prayer for protection is written in the Báb's own hand, in the form of a pentacle.

To whatever place We may be banished,..

Bahá'u'lláh's prison, Acre, Israel.

To whatever place We may be banished, however great the tribulation We may
suffer, they who are the people of God must, with fixed resolve and perfect confidence, keep their eyes directed towards the Day Spring of Glory, and be busied in whatever may be conducive to the betterment of the world and the education of its peoples. All that hath befallen Us in the past hath advanced the interests of Our Revelation and blazoned its fame; and all that may befall Us in the future will have a like result. Cling ye, with your inmost hearts, to the Cause of God, a Cause that hath been sent down by Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have, with the utmost kindliness and mercy, summoned and directed all peoples and nations to that which shall truly profit them.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
 Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now it is given by deeds. Every one must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for words are the property of all alike, whereas such deeds as these belong only to Our loved ones. Strive then with heart and soul to distinguish yourselves by your deeds. In this wise We counsel you in this holy and resplendent tablet.

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

ای فرزند کنيز من
 لازال هدايت باقوال بوده و اين زمان بافعال گشته * يعنی بايد جميع افعال قدسی از هيکل انسانی ظاهر شود چه که در اقوال کلّ شريکند و لکن افعال پاک و مقدّس مخصوص دوستان ماست * پس
بجان سعی نمائيد تا بافعال از جميع ناس ممتاز شويد * کذلک نصحناکم فی لوح قدس منير *

کلمات مکنونه فارسی حضرت بهاءالله

Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá'í Virtue

 "Were a man in this day to adorn himself with the raiment of trustworthiness it
were better for him in the sight of God than that he should journey on foot towards the holy court and be blessed with meeting the Adored One and standing before His Seat of Glory. Trustworthiness is as a stronghold to the city of humanity, and as eyes to the human temple. Whosoever remaineth deprived thereof shall, before His Throne, be reckoned as one bereft of vision."

Extracts from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh

... war is made for the satisfaction of ...

... war is made for the satisfaction of men’s ambition; for the sake of worldly gain to the few, terrible misery is brought to numberless homes, breaking the hearts of hundreds of men and women!
How many widows mourn their husbands, how many stories of savage cruelty do we hear! How many little orphaned children are crying for their dead fathers, how many women are weeping for their slain sons!
There is nothing so heart-breaking and terrible as an outburst of human savagery! I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.
Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness ...

`Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks

The Prosperity of Humankind

Laying the groundwork for global civilization calls for the creation of laws and
institutions that are universal in both character and authority. The effort can begin only when the concept of the oneness of humanity has been wholeheartedly embraced by those in whose hands the responsibility for decision making rests, and when the related principles are propagated through both educational systems and the media of mass communication. Once this threshold is crossed, a process will have been set in motion through which the peoples of the world can be drawn into the task of formulating common goals and committing themselves to their attainment. Only so fundamental a reorientation can protect them, too, from the age-old demons of ethnic and religious strife. Only through the dawning consciousness that they constitute a single people will the inhabitants of the planet be enabled to turn away from the patterns of conflict that have dominated social organization in the past and begin to learn the ways of collaboration and conciliation.
“The well-being of mankind,” Bahá’u’lláh writes, “its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”

The Prosperity of Humankind

Chaos and confusion are daily increasing

On 10 February 1980, the Universal House of Justice addressed a letter in Persian to the Iránian believers residing in countries outside Irán.

Similarly, the Pen of the Centre of the Covenant has repeatedly prophesied the intolerable calamities which must beset this wayward humanity ere it heeds the life- giving Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
 “Chaos and confusion are daily increasing in the world. They will attain such intensity as to render the frame of mankind unable to bear them. Then will men be awakened and become aware that religion is the impregnable stronghold and the manifest light of the world, and its laws, exhortations and teachings, the source of life on earth.”
 Every discerning eye clearly sees that the early stages of this chaos have daily manifestations affecting the structure of human society; its destructive forces are uprooting time-honoured institutions which were a haven and refuge for the inhabitants of the earth in bygone days and centuries, and around which revolved all human affairs. The same destructive forces are also deranging the political, economic, scientific, literary, and moral equilibrium of the world and are destroying the fairest fruits of the present civilization. Political machinations of those in authority have placed the seal of obsolescence upon the root principles of the world's order. Greed and passion, deceit, hypocrisy, tyranny, and pride are dominating features afflicting human relations. Discoveries and inventions, which are the fruit of scientific and technological advancements, have become the means and tools of mass extermination and destruction and are in the hands of the ungodly.
Even music, art, and literature, which are to represent and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations and should be a source of comfort and tranquillity for troubled souls, have strayed from the straight path and are now the mirrors of the soiled hearts of this confused, unprincipled, and disordered age. Perversions such as these shall result in the ordeals which have been prophesied by the Blessed Beauty in the following words: "... the earth will be tormented by a fresh calamity every day and unprecedented commotions will break out." "The day is approaching when its [civilization's] flame will devour the cities."

(The Universal House of Justice from a letter dated 10 February 1980; Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)