Question: “Are miracles performed in this Day?”

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s: “Miracles are constantly being performed in the material world about us, yet they make but little impression. Every Prophet has His own particular Mission and function. He does not come merely to perform miracles. People do not trouble themselves about the proof of miracles. The function of a physician is not to make a tree talk.” (Notes of a conversation with ‘Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Julia M. Grundy, ‘Ten Days In the Light of ‘Akka’, Baha’i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Ill., 1979)

A Baha’i is “recognized by his character, not by his person”

A Bahá'í is known by the attributes manifested by him, not by his name: he is recognized by his character, not by his person. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 60)

State of mind & heart to strive for when saying the Obligatory Prayer

O My brother! How great, how very great, can the law of obligatory prayer be, when, through His mercy and loving kindness, one is enabled to observe it. When a man commenceth the recitation of the Obligatory Prayer, he should see himself severed from all created things and regard himself as utter nothingness before the will and purpose of God, in such wise that he seeth naught but Him in the world of being. This is the station of God's well-favored ones and those who are wholly devoted to Him. Should one perform the Obligatory Prayer in this manner, he will be accounted by God and the Concourse on high among those who have truly offered the prayer. (Baha’u’llah, compilation on The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting)

“Service is the magnet which draws the divine confirmations.”

Service is the magnet which draws the divine confirmations. Thus, when a person is active, they are blessed by the Holy Spirit. When they are inactive, the Holy Spirit cannot find a repository in their being, and thus they are deprived of its healing and quickening rays. (From a letter dated 12 July 1952 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 23)

1965: First Conference of the Hands of the Cause for Africa, Board Members and two African NSA's

First Conference of the Hands of the Cause for Africa, their Board members, and members of two National Spiritual Assemblies of Africa [South-and-West, and South Central] held in Salisbury, Rhodesia in September 1965. Hands of the Cause Enoch Olinga and John Robarts are in the front row, third from left and third from right, respectively. (Baha'i News, January 19660)

Who is a “true Baha’i”?

He is a true Bahá'í who strives by day and by night to progress and advance along the path of human endeavor, whose most cherished desire is so to live and act as to enrich and illuminate the world, whose source of inspiration is the essence of Divine virtue, whose aim in life is so to conduct himself as to be the cause of infinite progress. Only when he attains unto such perfect gifts can it be said of him that he is a true Bahá'í. For in this holy Dispensation, the crowning glory of bygone ages and cycles, true Faith is no mere acknowledgement of the Unity of God, but rather the living of a life that will manifest all the perfections and virtues implied in such belief.... 
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)

Getting a glimpse of the “incomparable greatness of the Baha’i Revelation” –- through a Zoroastrian Prophecy

As a further testimony to the greatness of the Revelation identified with Bahá'u'lláh may be cited the following extracts from a Tablet addressed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to an eminent Zoroastrian follower of the Faith: "Thou hadst written that in the sacred books of the followers of Zoroaster it is written that in the latter days, in three separate Dispensations, the sun must needs be brought to a standstill. In the first Dispensation, it is predicted, the sun will remain motionless for ten days; in the second for twice that time; in the third for no less than one whole month. The interpretation of this prophecy is this: the first Dispensation to which it refers is the Muhammadan Dispensation during which the Sun of Truth stood still for ten days. Each day is reckoned as one century. The Muhammadan Dispensation must have, therefore, lasted no less than one thousand years, which is precisely the period that has elapsed from the setting of the Star of the Imamate to the advent of the Dispensation proclaimed by the Báb. The second Dispensation referred to in this prophecy is the one inaugurated by the Báb Himself, which began in the year 1260 A.H. and was brought to a close in the year 1280 A.H. As to the third Dispensation -- the Revelation proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh -- inasmuch as the Sun of Truth when attaining that station shineth in the plenitude of its meridian splendor its duration hath been fixed for a period of one whole month, which is the maximum time taken by the sun to pass through a sign of the Zodiac. From this thou canst imagine the magnitude of the Bahá'í cycle -- a cycle that must extend over a period of at least five hundred thousand years. (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 102)

Supplications may be addressed to ‘Abdu’l-Baha

With reference to the first of the two questions raised by the San Francisco Spiritual Assembly in connection with 'The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah,' he wishes me to explain that although 'Abdu'l-Baha's station is not that of a Manifestation of God, nevertheless supplications may be addressed to Him. It is essential, however, that every believer should realize that while doing so he is directing his thoughts towards the Master as an intermediary between him and the Manifestation, and not as the Source of Divine Revelation and Spiritual Guidance. Provided this distinction is clearly established there can be no harm or objection in addressing prayers to 'Abdu'l-Baha. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i News, January 1935)

A lesson on the seeing of a halo about the Master

The Master said there were four kinds of light: the light from the lamp was one; but because the face of a man does not give out light as the lamp does, is man less than the lamp or greater? Some worms give off a light -- is man or the worm greater? Man does not give out such a light, but man has the kingdom of the mind and it is the light of this kingdom which some see when they love a person very much, and they mistake it for a material light when it is not. This comes from the emotional nature and is an imagination. Then there is the Light of the Holy Spirit possessed by God's Chosen Ones. The minds of men cannot comprehend this Light -- thus they martyr those who come with this Light. But time proves that their Light was the true Light and that the light of the minds of the men of their time was limited. They comprehend the past, present and future and see things as they will be when accomplished. St. John, on the Isle of Patmos, seeing into the future, foretold what would come to pass in this present Day. There is no time to this Light -- it knows all things. (‘Abdu’l-Baha’s explanation as recorded by Corine True during her pilgrimage in 1907; ‘Notes Taken at Acca’, booklet published by Baha’i Publishing Society, Chicago 1907)

"Assemblies and not individuals constitute the bedrock on which the Administration is built"

Regarding the principle that the Cause must not be allowed to center around any Baha’i personality, the Guardian wishes to make it clear that it was never intended that well qualified individual teachers should not receive from local Assemblies every encouragement and facilities to address the public. What the Guardian meant was that the personality and popularity of such a speaker should never be allowed to eclipse the authority, or detract from the influence of the body of the elected representatives in every local community. Such an individual should not only seek the approval, advice and assistance of the body that represents the Cause in his locality, but should strive to attribute any credit he may obtain to the collective wisdom and capacity of the Assembly under whose jurisdiction he performs his services. Assemblies and not individuals constitute the bedrock on which the Administration is built. Everything else must be subordinated to, and be made to serve and advance the best interests of these elected custodians and promoters of the Laws of Baha'u'llah.(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, dated August 12 , 1933; Baha’i News, January 1934)

Divine versus Satanic attributes

The attributes of God are love and mercy; the attribute of Satan is hate. Therefore, he who is merciful and kind to his fellowmen is manifesting the divine attribute, and he who is hating and hostile toward a fellow creature is satanic. God is absolute love, even as Jesus Christ has declared, and Satan is utter hatred. Wherever love is witnessed, know that there is a manifestation of God's mercy; whenever you meet hatred and enmity, know that these are the evidences and attributes of Satan. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a talk given on 21 April 1912 in Washington D.C.; Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 39) (To read the entire talk please visits Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Baha)

The Incomparable Figure of Baha’u’llah

Let us fix our gaze in adoration upon that figure, so inimitably delineated by the Guardian: "the incomparable figure of Baha'u'llah, transcendent in His majesty, serene, awe-inspiring, unapproachably glorious." He Whom, He Himself testifies, the Prophets and Messengers addressed, on the eve of His Declaration as "O Most Great Mystery, O Tabernacle of Immortality!" He, but for Whom, in His own words, "no Divine Messenger would have been invested with the robe of prophethood, nor would any of the Sacred Scriptures have been revealed." Let us call to mind, in His own words, the period of His declaration in Baghdad, the centenary of which is so close upon us: "Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the Garden of Delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise . . ." "Rejoice, with exceeding gladness, O people of Baha! as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the entire creation the splendors of His Name, the All-Merciful."

God’s “most beauteous names,” and “most noble and sublime attributes” – as Revealed to humanity through His Manifestations

In the Long Healing prayer Baha’u’llah makes us aware of such “names” and “attributes” of God. ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains that the Manifestation of God is a “Perfect Man” Who like a “polished mirror reflecting the Sun of Truth, manifesting the attributes of God. The Lord Christ said, 'He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father' -- God manifested in man.” (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 25) So, by studying the Lives and Teachings of the Manifestations of God we grow in our understanding and appreciation of such names and attributes of God. This appears to be part of our on-going, never-ending, process of spiritual transformation on this plane of existence. Let’s wish each other good-luck in this journey!

The Station of Mother, Sister and Brother of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

“… these three incomparably precious souls who, next to the three Central Figures of our Faith, tower in rank above the vast multitude of the heroes, Letters, martyrs, Hands, teachers and administrators of the Cause of Baha'u'llah …” (Excerpt from a letter written by Shoghi Effendi, dated 21 December 1939; Messages to America, p, 32; The Compilation of Compilations, vol.1, p.338)

Creatures on other planets

Know thou that every fixed star hath its own planets, and every planet its own creatures, whose number no man can compute. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 163)

"Regarding the passage on p. 163 of the 'Gleanings'; the creatures which Bahá'u'lláh states to be found in every planet cannot be considered to be necessarily similar or different from human beings on this earth. Bahá'u'lláh does not specifically state whether such creatures are like or unlike us. He simply refers to the fact that there are creatures in every planet. It remains for science to discover one day the exact nature of these creatures." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, February 9, 1937; Lights of Guidance, p. 478)

Imagine we had the inestimable privilege to be in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and ask the following question:

'What is the purpose of our lives?'

'Abdu'l-Bahá. -- 'To acquire virtues. We come from the earth; why were we transferred from the mineral to the vegetable kingdom -- from the plant to the animal kingdom? So that we may attain perfection in each of these kingdoms, that we may possess the best qualities of the mineral, that we may acquire the power of growing as in the plant, that we may be adorned with the instincts of the animal and possess the faculties of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste, until from the animal kingdom we step into the world of humanity and are gifted with reason, the power of invention, and the forces of the spirit.' (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 177)

“mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service” are strong in women

The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the balance is already shifting; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, quoted in ‘Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era; The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 369)

Question: What is the significance of the word "He is God" which appears as the heading of every tablet and letter [of ‘Abdu’l-Baha]?

Answer [by 'Abdu'l-Baha]: This is a usage of the people of the East; it is of Islam. Their purpose is that in every matter the commencement should be in the Name of God (i.e., everything we do must begin with the Name of God). As to its observance in the divine tablets, the purport is this: The reality of the Divine Entity is holy above comprehension, beyond definition, and far from the reach of imagination, for that which is imagined is finite, of man, and thereto man is infinite; and certainly the infinite is greater than the finite. Therefore, it is made evident that what is imagined is a creation and not the Creator, for the Essence of Divinity is beyond human imagination.

Jan. 1960: Horace Holley Left U.S. for Holy Land after Thirty-Six Years Service on U.S. National Spiritual Assembly

On March 12, 1923, the beloved Guardian addressed a letter to the Baha'is throughout America, Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, and Australia emphasizing the responsibility of believers in spreading the Teachings and in establishing local assemblies in all cities having nine or more adult Baha'is. In the same letter the institution of the National Spiritual Assembly was presented in detail.

During Ridvan of that year there were elected for the first time local and national institutions having the functions of spiritual assemblies as we now recognize them in East and West. Horace Holley was elected a member of the New York Local Spiritual Assembly and of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada that year. He has continued his services on the National Spiritual Assembly for thirty-six years without interruption, and has been its secretary since 1924. He has therefore been an active participant in the evolution of the Baha'i community throughout all its stages of administrative development following the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha, including the two seven-year teaching plans formulated by the Guardian, the celebration of tine Centenary of the Bab, the celebration of the Centenary of Baha'u'llah, and the Guardian's World Crusade up to the present hour.