April 30, 2011

The Tomb of Baha'u'llah in the years immediately following His ascension

The Tomb of Baha'u'llah in the years immediately following His ascension (The Baha'i World 1932-1934)

April 13, 2011

Understanding how God would “confer blessing upon a servant” or adversely “test him with the benefits of this world and of the next”

All praise be unto Thee, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God. Graciously enable me to ascend unto Thee, to be granted the honour of dwelling in Thy nearness and to have communion with Thee alone. No God is there but Thee.

Indeed shouldst Thou desire to confer blessing upon a servant Thou wouldst blot out from the realm of his heart every mention or disposition except Thine Own mention; and shouldst Thou ordain evil for a servant by reason of that which his hands have unjustly wrought before Thy face, Thou wouldst test him with the benefits of this world and of the next that he might become preoccupied therewith and forget Thy remembrance. (The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 191)

April 8, 2011

The “Word of God” is “endowed with the capacity” to convert “satanic strength into heavenly power”

“… the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been empowered to accomplish. The Force capable of such a transformation transcendeth the potency of the Elixir itself. The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change. (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh)