Bahá’u’lláh embodies God’s attributes of “Maker of the heavens and Lord of all names”

The hearts of Thy chosen ones, O my Lord, have melted because of their separation from Thee, and the souls of Thy loved ones are burnt up by the fire of their yearning after Thee in Thy days. I implore Thee, O Thou Maker of the heavens and Lord of all names, by Thy most effulgent Self and Thy most exalted and all-glorious Remembrance, to send down upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nearer unto Thee, and enable them to hearken unto Thine utterances. 

- Baha’u’llah (‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)

“whether after a few children it would be permissible to have a surgical operation on the wife to prevent further conception”

As to your desire and that of your husband to avoid any action which would permanently prevent you from bearing children, the only text we have so far found on the subject is in a letter to an individual believer from the beloved Guardian. The question asked was whether after a few children it would be permissible to have a surgical operation on the wife to prevent further conception. His reply was that such an act was inacceptable and unworthy, and those who commit the act were responsible before God.

When the Guardian was asked whether the exercise of birth control constitutes a sin in a case where the number of children would prevent the father from fulfilling his obligation to educate his children, he stated that it is the duty of Baha'is to uphold moderation in all things, and avoid illegal methods.  

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter to an individual believer, July 31, 1970; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’) 

November 1964: The Universal House of Justice arrives at two decisions concerning the Hands of the Cause

“after study of the sacred texts and hearing the views of the Hands of the Cause themselves, has arrived at the following decisions:

There is no way to appoint, or to legislate to make it possible to appoint, Hands of the Cause of God.

Responsibility for decisions on matters of general policy affecting the Institution of the Hands of the Cause, which was formerly exercised by the beloved Guardian, now devolves upon the Universal House of Justice as the supreme and central institution of the Faith to which all must turn. 

- The Universal House of Justice (‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963 to 1986’)

The belief in the possibilities of miracles

The belief in the possibilities of miracles, on the contrary, implies that God's power is beyond any limitation whatsoever. For it is only logical to believe that the Creator, Who is the sole Author of all the laws operating in the universe, is above them and can, therefore, if He deems it necessary, alter them at His Own Will. We, as humans, cannot possibly attempt to read His Mind, and to fully grasp His Wisdom. Mystery is therefore an inseparable part of true religion, and as such, should be recognized by the believers. 

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, October 1, 1935; Canadian Bahá'í News, February 1968; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

1956: First Regional National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of North West Africa

(Baha'i News August 1956)

A prayer for individual: - assistance with "means of livelihood"

O God! O God! Cause me to drink from the cup of Thy bestowal. Illumine my face with the light of guidance. Make me firm in faithfulness and steadfastness in Thine Ancient Covenant. Suffer me to become one of Thy sincere servants. Open before my face the doors of prosperity. Prepare for me the means of livelihood. Give me my bread through channels over which I have no control, Thy heavenly treasures. Grant me the power to turn my face toward Thy merciful Countenance, to be faithful to Thy Cause.

O Thou Clement and Compassionate One! Verily, Thou art gracious to those who are firm and steadfast in Thy strong and impregnable Covenant. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 14, no. 6, Sept. 1923)

The second Tablet of the Divine Plan

Abdu'l-Baha in the garden
surrounding the Shrine of
Baha'u'llah May1 1921

It was revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha on Monday morning, March 27th 1916, in the garden adjacent to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, addressed to the Bahá'ís of sixteen Southern States of the United States: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas Oklahoma, and Texas. 

- Hand of the Cause Balyuzi (‘Abdu'l-Baha - The Centre of the Covenant’)

1925: Some Baha'is of Port Said, Egypt

New Site: Compilations by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice

Visit regularly for new additions.

“Every person must have an occupation, a trade or a craft”

Every person must have an occupation, a trade or a craft, so that he may carry other people's burdens, and not himself be a burden to others. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá (From a Tablet; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, The Arts and Crafts)

Penalties and prisons in 19th Century Persia

“Before I quit the subject of the Persian law and its administration, let me add a few words upon the subject of penalties and prisons. Nothing is more shocking to the European reader, in pursuing his way through the crime-stained and bloody pages of Persian history during the last and, in a happily less degree, during the present century, than the record of savage punishments and abominable tortures, testifying alternately to the callousness of the brute and the ingenuity of the fiend. The Persian character has ever been fertile in device and indifferent to suffering; and in the field of judicial executions it has found ample scope for the exercise of both attainments. Up till quite a recent period, well within the borders of the present reign, condemned criminals have been crucified, blown from guns, buried alive, impaled, shod like horses, torn asunder by being bound to the heads of two trees bent together and then allowed to spring back to their natural position, converted into human torches, flayed while living.”

- Lord Curzon  (‘Persia and the Persian Question’, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in the ‘Introduction’ to ‘The Dawn-Breakers’)

Spiritual fasting assists the soul “to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent” in it

Shoghi Effendi indicates that the fasting period, which involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset, 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.’ 

- The Universal House of Justice (The ‘Notes’ section of the ‘Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

1934: First National Convention of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand

An agricultural convention versus a convention organized by Bahá'u'lláh

When I entered this city, I saw there was quite a stir. I asked the reason and was told that an agricultural convention was being held. I remarked that Bahá'u'lláh, too, organized a convention in Persia. The difference is that your congress is of this world but Bahá'u'lláh's is divine. Great persons have come to the congress but their motive is earthly as they have assembled to consider questions concerning agriculture. But in that other congress holy ones have gathered who irrigate the field of hearts with the water of eternal life, as their motive is heavenly. This congress is decorated with earthly lamps while that is embellished with heavenly lights. The music of this is terrestrial while the strains of that are celestial. This convention meets in a private hall while that gathering is held under the tent of the unity of mankind and international peace. The queen of this congress is a lady bedecked with ornaments and embellishments of this mortal world but the king of that congress is the King of the Throne of Eternity, Whose sovereignty is divine. When I compared these two congresses I became extremely glad and prayed that God may bless your farming and bestow upon you spiritual strength and capacity for life everlasting. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, September 29, 1912, Salt Lake City, USA, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)

Naw-Ruz: - its historical beginning

According to the ancient customs everyone of the nations have general holidays when all the people become happy and enjoy themselves. That is, they choose the day of the year wherein a great event or a glorious matter occurred. On that day, they manifest great joy and happiness. They visit one another. If there are any feelings of bitterness among them they become reconciled on that day, hard hearted feelings pass away and they unite and love each other. As great events occurred on the day of Naw-Ruz for the Persians, therefore, that nation made it a national feast and considered it as a holiday.

This is indeed a blessed day because it is the beginning of the temperate season and the commencement of springtime in the northern hemisphere. All earthly things whether trees, animals or human become refreshed; they receive power from the life-giving breeze and obtain a new life; a resurrection takes place, and because it is the season of springtime there is a general marvellous activity in all contingent beings.

There was a time when the Persian dynasty became extinct and no trace remained thereof. On such a day(Naw-Ruz) it became renewed. Jamsheed ascended the throne [about 3000 B.C.]. Persia became happily settled. Its power, which had been dissipated, once more returned. The hearts and souls became possessed with wonderful susceptibilities, to such a degree that Persia became more advanced than it was in former days, under the sovereignty of Kayomrth and Hoshang. The glory and greatness of the government and nation of Persia took a higher station. Likewise, a great many events occurred upon the day of Naw-Ruz that brought honour and glory to Persia and to the Persians. Therefore, the Persian nation, for the last five or six thousand years, has always considered the Feast ofNaw-Ruz as a day of national happiness and until now it is sanctified and recognized as a blessed day. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk; ‘Star of the West, Vol. IX, No.1, March 21, 1918’)

News of the birth of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s first grandson and His successor

Since 'Abdu’l-Baha didn’t have any surviving sons so apparently when the news of His first grandson being born reached the West “a believer in America had written to Him that in the Bible is mentioned that after 'Abdu'l-Bahá ‘a little child shall lead them’ (Isaiah 11:6) and does this mean a real, live child who exists?” (Ruhiyyih Khanum, ‘The Priceless Pearl’) This question was answered by the Master in the following Tablet that was sent to this believer:

“O Maidservant of God! Verily, that child is born and is alive and from him will appear wondrous things that thou wilt hear of in the future. Thou shalt behold him endowed with the most perfect appearance, supreme capacity, absolute perfection, consummate power and unsurpassed might. His face will shine with a radiance that illumines all the horizons of the world; therefore forget this not as long as thou dost live inasmuch as ages and centuries will bear traces of him. Upon thee be greetings and praise. Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas” (Ruhiyyih Khanum, ‘The Priceless Pearl’)

Since “there was practically no contact between the Bahá'ís of the West and East in those days and Tablets were circulated among the American friends by copy or word of mouth” (ibid), the existence of such an important Tablet was not known to the believers in the East. It should also be noted that, as Ruhiyyih Khanum explains: “Many years before His passing, in answer to a question from some Persian believers as to whether there would be one person to whom all should turn after His death, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had written:

"...Know verily that this is a well-guarded secret. It is even as a gem concealed within its shell. That it will be revealed is predestined. The time will come when its light will appear, when its evidences will be made manifest, and its secrets unravelled." (Ruhiyyih Khanum, ‘The Priceless Pearl’)

March 18, 2026 - Relation of Jesus to other Manifestations of God

In the Word of God there is still another unity, the oneness of the Manifestations of God, His Holiness Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. This is a unity divine, heavenly, radiant, merciful; the one reality appearing in its successive manifestations. For instance, the sun is one and the same but its points of dawning are various. During the summer season it rises from the northern point of the ecliptic; in winter it appears from the southern point of rising. Each month between it appears from a certain zodiacal position. Although these dawning-points are different, the sun is the same sun which has appeared from them all. The significance is the reality of prophethood which is symbolized by the sun, and the holy Manifestations are the dawning-places or zodiacal points.

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  ('Baha'i World Faith')

Women of Iran

The Guardian spoke of the women of Iran, who had recently been given relative freedom, the chador [veil] having been abandoned by government order. He wished that "the Baha'i women would take advantage of their freedom and prepare to teach and also engage in various Baha'i activities. Before long their Western brothers and sisters would visit Iran in troops; they must be welcomed and given hospitality, and the Baha'i women of Iran must share equally in their services." He urged us to emphasize that they should follow the examples of Martha Root, May Maxwell, Keith Ransom-Kehler, and others like them. He testified to the fact that Mrs. Ransom-Kehler had sacrificed herself for the Baha'is of Iran.

- Ali-Akbar Furutan  (Notes of pilgrimage in 1941; ‘Hand of the Cause of God Furutan’, by Iran Furutan Muhajir)

Pauline and Joseph Hannen

Pauline and Joseph Hannen, early Baha'is of Washington, D.C. They natured Louis Gregory's interest in the Baha'i Faith.

The “impulse to prayer is a natural one, springing from man's love to God.”

If one friend feels love for another, he will wish to say so. Though he knows that the friend is aware that he loves him, he will still wish to say so.... God knows the wishes of all hearts. But the impulse to prayer is a natural one, springing from man's love to God.

Prayer need not be in words, but rather in thought and attitude. But if this love and this desire are lacking, it is useless to try to force them. Words without love mean nothing. If a person talks to you as an unpleasant duty, with no love or pleasure in his meeting with you, do you wish to converse with him? 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá quoted in J. E. Esslemont, "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, The Importance of Prayer, Meditation and the Devotional Attitude)