The “devotional character” of the community: - Increasing our awareness of its broad role and significance

House of Worship- Papua New Guinea

…in the enhancement of the devotional character of the community through regular gatherings for worship

- The Universal House of Justice (Ridvan 2016 message)

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Responding to the inmost longing of every heart to commune with its Maker, they carry out

• acts of collective worship in diverse settings,
• uniting with others in prayer,
• awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and
• shaping a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character.

- The Universal House of Justice (Ridvan 2008 message)

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...the Local Assembly to begin...to consult as a body on…how the devotional character of the village is being enhanced through the efforts of individuals who have completed the first institute course;…

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated December 2010)

“One of the signs of the maturity of the world”: - “no one will accept to bear the weight of kingship”

Indeed, He even goes further, and states in His Tablet addressed to Shaykh Salmán: “One of the signs of the maturity of the world is that no one will accept to bear the weight of kingship. Kingship will remain with none willing to bear alone its weight. That day will be the day whereon wisdom will be manifested among mankind. Only in order to proclaim the Cause of God and spread abroad His Faith will anyone be willing to bear this grievous weight. Well is it with him who, for love of God and His Cause, and for the sake of God and for the purpose of proclaiming His Faith, will expose himself unto this great danger, and will accept this toil and trouble.” 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘The Promised Day Is Come’)

“Badí’ (Unique) language”: During the early years in Baghdád, on one occasion, Bahá’u’lláh chanted in the “language used by the denizens of one of the worlds of God”

Mirza Áqá Ján [Bahá’u’ll’áh’s amanuensis] related to Nabil that, one day in Kázimayn, when both he and Aqá Muhammad-Hasan-i-Isfahání [a merchant] were in the presence of Bahá’u’lláh, in the house of Hájí ‘Abdu'l-Majid-i-Shirázi, He asked the host whether he wished to hear the Badí’ (Unique) language, which, He said, was the language used by the denizens of one of the worlds of God. He then proceeded to chant in that language. Mirzá Áqá Ján said that hearing this language had a wonderful effect on the listener. 

One day, Mirzá Áqá Ján related, Bahá'u'lláh said to Haji ‘Abdu’l-Majid: ‘Haji, you have heard the Badí’ language, and witnessed God's supremacy over His worlds. Render thanks for this bounty and appreciate its worth.’” "

- Hand of the Cause Hasan Balyuzi (‘Bahá’u’lláh King of Glory’)

The amazing way in which “most of those who surrounded Bahá’u’lláh” in Baghdád decided to help each other to maintain strict spiritual discipline

“Most of those who surrounded Bahá’u’lláh,” wrote Nabíl, describing the spirit that animated the reformed Bábí community in Baghdád, “exercised such care in sanctifying and purifying their souls, that they would suffer no word to cross their lips that might not conform to the will of God, nor would they take a single step that might be contrary to His good-pleasure.” “Each one,” he relates, “had entered into a pact with one of his fellow-disciples, in which they agreed to admonish one another, and, if necessary, chastise one another with a number of blows on the soles of the feet, proportioning the number of strokes to the gravity of the offense against the lofty standards they had sworn to observe.” Describing the fervor of their zeal, he states that “not until the offender had suffered the punishment he had solicited, would he consent to either eat or drink.” 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By’)

The amazing station of a “just king”

A just king enjoyeth nearer access unto God than anyone. Unto this testifieth He Who speaketh in His Most Great Prison. 

- Bahá’u’lláh (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Promised Day Is Come’)

Concerning the law of the ninety-five day period of engagement before marriage

The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of … U.S.A.

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Your email letter dated 4 December 2011 seeking clarification of the law of engagement for the Persian believers in your community has been received by the Universal House of Justice, which has asked us to respond as follows.

To assist you in your efforts to educate the friends about the law of engagement, the following comments may be helpful. Bahá’u’lláh states in the “Questions and Answers” section of The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book, number 43, that “it is unlawful to announce a marriage earlier than ninety-five days before the wedding.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has provided further explanation:

“Following the agreement for marriage and its official public announcement, that is, when all the friends, relatives, and kindred have been informed that the two parties have been betrothed, the period of engagement must not exceed ninety-five days, during which marriage should take place, and the verses be recited, and the dowry paid. Although it is forbidden to exceed the ninety-five days as this is an act of disobedience to the Law of God, the marriage contract should not be revoked on this account.”

Thus, the period of ninety-five days begins when the couple have agreed to marry, the consent of the parents has been obtained, and the intent to marry has been officially announced, that is to say, made known to members of the families and friends of the couple.

Striving to create an environment in the community that would allow “cultivation of those attributes that are to distinguish a Bahá’í life" – responsibilities of individuals and institutions

…a community that serves increasingly as an environment conducive to the cultivation of those attributes that are to distinguish a Bahá’í life—

• an environment in which a spirit of unity animates one and all;
• in which the ties of fellowship bind them;
• in which mistakes are treated with tolerance and fear of failure is diminished;
• in which criticism of others is avoided and backbiting and gossip give way to mutual support and encouragement;
• in which young and old work shoulder to shoulder, studying the Creative Word together and accompanying one another in their efforts to serve;
• in which children are reared through an educational process that strives to sharpen their spiritual faculties and imbue them with the spirit of the Faith;
• in which young people are helped to detect the false messages spread by society, recognize its fruitless preoccupations, and resist its pressures, directing their energies instead towards its betterment.

The institutions of the Faith, for their part,

• strive to ensure that such an environment is fostered.
• They do not pry into the personal lives of individuals.
• Nor are they vindictive and judgemental, eager to punish those who fall short of the Bahá’í standard. Except in extreme cases of blatant and flagrant disregard for the law that could potentially harm the Cause and may require them to administer sanctions,
• their attention is focused on encouragement, assistance, counsel, and education.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 19 April 2013; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 2001-2022’)

New Compilation: Ninety-five passages from the Baha'i Writings and literature on a variety of subjects

 

More pdf downloadable compilations