Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 44 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 1/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
I know I started posting this deepening some time ago... but didn't get
far before my daughter's problems took me away from the echo for a while.
I hope that you will enjoy reading it, and that if you have comments you
will post them so that we can learn more from each other. -ZR
Part 1
Learning how to love in a hateful world.
A compilation from the Baha'i Writings
Opening Prayer
O Thou kind Lord! We are servants of Thy
Threshold, taking shelter at Thy holy Door. We seek no
refuge save only this strong pillar, turn nowhere for a
haven but unto Thy safekeeping. Protect us, bless us,
support us, make us such that we shall love but Thy good
pleasure, utter only Thy praise, follow only the pathway
of truth, that we may become rich enough to dispense
with all save Thee, and receive our gifts from the sea of
Thy beneficence, that we may ever strive to exalt Thy
Cause and to spread Thy sweet savours far and wide, that
we may become oblivious of self and occupied only with
Thee, and disown all else and be caught up in Thee.
O Thou Provider, O Thou Forgiver! Grant us Thy
grace and loving-kindness, Thy gifts and Thy bestowals,
and sustain us, that we may attain our goal. Thou art the
Powerful, the Able, the Knower, the Seer; and verily
Thou art the Generous, and verily Thou art the All-Merciful,
and verily Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, He to
Whom repentance is due, He Who forgiveth even the
most grievous of sins.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 232-233)
Where we got the idea for this topic: A passage from the
letter to the Feast of Sharaf
December 31, 1994
To the American Baha'i Community
for the Feast of Sharaf
Dear Friends,
Shoghi Effendi teaches us that the turmoil of the present age evokes
sorrow and excites fear, provokes revolts and engenders grievances.
In short, the breakdown of the present order wreaks havoc and chaos in
every life. It is no wonder that everywhere one looks, one sees conflict
and heartache, lives full of difficult tests and heartbreaking struggles.
In their letter of May 19, the Universal House of Justice reminds us
that even in the Baha'i community we struggle to free ourselves from
the grip of the world's diseased condition. They also tell us that we
have a power over the chaos; it is the power of understanding God's
purpose for His people, teaching His Faith and building His Kingdom.
We do this first personally, then in our families, in our Baha'i
communities and in our nation. The Supreme Body writes, "Painful as
may be the decadent scene, deep as is your sympathy for those who
suffer from the terrible decline of society, you must see the
possibilities which are thus provided for augmenting the healing
forces of an emerging World Order."
Clarity of purpose and discipline in obedience are our protection from
the chaos. If we know what we must do -- draw close to God and carry
out His Instructions -- we will not be afraid of the crumbling world
around us. Then we can proceed to build the new world, exploiting the
turmoil and the anxiety it produces, to spread the knowledge of the
redemptive power of Baha'u'llah's Faith.
To purify our souls and make us strong, `Abdu'l-Baha promised that He
would send repeated mental tests. Perhaps the most difficult test we
face is to be indiscriminately loving and kind, forgiving and encouraging,
to every soul in a society of people who pride themselves on being bitterly
critical in order to justify their conflicts with others. Baha'u'llah
Himself anticipated this problem and instructed His followers to note
that The Kitab-i-Aqdas is Itself a testament of God's patience with our
weakness and a model for all to follow in their treatment of others.
Perhaps it all boils down to this: the primary job of a Baha'i is to
learn how to love in a hateful world, to share that learning with others,
and to tell them Who It is that taught us how to love again. We must
love everyone -- our enemies, those different from ourselves, those
who do not appear to be lovable. Love is the immutable condition of
the Divine Plan, the gift that Baha'is must give to a world completely
divided by carefully justified conflict. The world is waiting, and
suffering, as it waits.
With warm regards,
Robert C. Henderson
Secretary-General
continued
... Happiness is not a destination. It is a way of traveling.
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 45 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 2/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 2
Love of God
The essence of love is for man to turn his heart to the
Beloved One, and sever himself from all else but
Him, and desire naught save that which is the desire of his
Lord.
True remembrance is to make mention of the Lord, the
All-Praised, and forget aught else beside Him.
True reliance is for the servant to pursue his
profession and calling in this world, to hold fast unto the
Lord, to seek naught but His grace, inasmuch as in His Hands
is the destiny of all His servants.
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 155)
Loving others for the sake of God
Be most loving one to another. Burn away, wholly for the
sake of the Well-Beloved, the veil of self with
the flame of the undying Fire, and with faces joyous and
beaming with light, associate with your neighbor.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 316)
Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another.
Let your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not
toward the world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake
of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or
impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is
not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being,
and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the
people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love
them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of
perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the
shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness.
The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers
faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them,
trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and
life, sight and hearing; therefore, they are the signs of
His grandeur.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 93)
continued
... Let's see your tagline hunting permit, sir.
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 46 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 3/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 3
THE DUTY OF KINDNESS AND SYMPATHY TOWARDS STRANGERS AND
FOREIGNERS
October 16th and 17th, 1912
When a man turns his face to God he finds sunshine
everywhere. All men are his brothers. Let not
conventionality cause you to seem cold and unsympathetic
when you meet strange people from other
countries. Do not look at them as though you suspected them
of being evil-doers, thieves and boors. You
think it necessary to be very careful, not to expose
yourselves to the risk of making acquaintance with
such, possibly, undesirable people.
I ask you not to think only of yourselves. Be kind to
the strangers, whether come they from Turkey,
Japan, Persia, Russia, China or any other country in the
world.
Help to make them feel at home; find out where they are
staying, ask if you may render them any
service; try to make their lives a little happier.
In this way, even if, sometimes, what you at first
suspected should be true, still go out of your way to be
kind to them - this kindness will help them to become
better.
After all, why should any foreign people be treated as
strangers?
Let those who meet you know, without your proclaiming the
fact, that you are indeed a Baha'i.
Put into practice the Teaching of Baha'u'llah, that of
kindness to all nations. Do not be content with
showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with
loving kindness for all who may cross your
path.
Oh, you of the Western nations, be kind to those who come
from the Eastern world to sojourn among
you. Forget your conventionality when you speak with them;
they are not accustomed to it. To Eastern
peoples this demeanour seems cold, unfriendly. Rather let
your manner be sympathetic. Let it be seen
that you are filled with universal love. When you meet a
Persian or any other stranger, speak to him as to
a friend; if he seems to be lonely try to help him, give him
of your willing service; if he be sad console
him, if poor succour him, if oppressed rescue him, if in
misery comfort him. In so doing you will manifest
that not in words only, but in deed and in truth, you think
of all men as your brothers.
What profit is there in agreeing that universal
friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the
human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are
translated into the world of action, they are
useless.
The wrong in the world continues to exist just because
people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive
to put them into practice. If actions took the place of
words, the world's misery would very soon be
changed into comfort.
A man who does great good, and talks not of it, is on the
way to perfection.
The man who has accomplished a small good and magnifies
it in his speech is worth very little.
If I love you, I need not continually speak of my love -
you will know without any words. On the other
hand if I love you not, that also will you know - and you
would not believe me, were I to tell you in a
thousand words, that I loved you.
People make much profession of goodness, multiplying fine
words because they wish to be thought
greater and better than their fellows, seeking fame in the
eyes of the world. Those who do most good use
fewest words concerning their actions.
The children of God do the works without boasting,
obeying His laws.
My hope for you is that you will ever avoid tyranny and
oppression; that you will work without ceasing
till justice reigns in every land, that you will keep your
hearts pure and your hands free from
unrighteousness.
This is what the near approach to God requires from you,
and this is what I expect of you.
(Paris Talks pp. 15-17)
continued
... The next best thing to laughing is gardening. -- M. Prem Zareen
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 47 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 4/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 4
Exhortations to love each other, to have a sweet tongue,
and to avoid that which causes sadness to the hearts.
O ye beloved of the Lord! Commit not that which defileth
the limpid stream of love or destroyeth the
sweet fragrance of friendship. By the righteousness of the
Lord! Ye were created to show love one to
another and not perversity and rancour. Take pride not in
love for yourselves but in love for your fellow-
creatures. Glory not in love for your country, but in love
for all mankind. Let your eye be chaste, your
hand faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart
enlightened. Abase not the station of the learned in
Baha and belittle not the rank of such rulers as administer
justice amidst you. Set your reliance on the
army of justice, put on the armour of wisdom, let your
adorning be forgiveness and mercy and that which
cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of God.
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 138)
Consort with all men, O people of Baha, in a spirit of
friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a
certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are
deprived, share it with them in a language of
utmost kindliness and good-will. If it be accepted, if it
fulfil its purpose, your object is attained. If any one
should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to
guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with
him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men.
It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the
words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of
wisdom and understanding....
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 289)
The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and
tribulations, in revealing the Holy Verses and in
demonstrating proofs hath been naught but to quench the
flame of hate and enmity, that the horizon of the
hearts of men may be illumined with the light of concord and
attain real peace and tranquillity. From the
dawning-place of the divine Tablet the day-star of this
utterance shineth resplendent, and it behoveth
everyone to fix his gaze upon it: We exhort you, O peoples
of the world, to observe that which will elevate
your station. Hold fast to the fear of God and firmly adhere
to what is right. Verily I say, the tongue is for
mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk.
God hath forgiven what is past. Henceforward
everyone should utter that which is meet and seemly, and
should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever
causeth sadness in men. Lofty is the station of man! Not
long ago this exalted Word streamed forth from
the treasury of Our Pen of Glory: Great and blessed is this
Day - the Day in which all that lay latent in
man hath been and will be made manifest. Lofty is the
station of man, were he to hold fast to
righteousness and truth and to remain firm and steadfast in
the Cause. In the eyes of the All-Merciful a
true man appeareth even as a firmament; its sun and moon are
his sight and hearing, and his shining and
resplendent character its stars. His is the loftiest
station, and his influence educateth the world of being.
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah)
Avoiding backbiting, calumny, dwelling on faults from others
Backbiting, slander and dwelling on the faults of
others have been repeatedly condemned by
Baha'u'llah. In the Hidden Words, He clearly states: "O
Son of Being! How couldst thou forget thine
own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others?
Whoso doeth this is accursed of Me." And again:
"O Son of Man! Breathe not the sins of others so long as
thou art thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou
transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to
this I bear witness." This strong admonition
is further reiterated in His last work, "the Book of My
Covenant": "Verily I say, the tongue is for
mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk.
God hath forgiven what is past.
Henceforward everyone should utter that which is meet and
seemly, and should refrain from slander,
abuse and whatever causeth sadness in men."
(Kitab-i-Aqdas, Note 37, page 181-182)
continued
... Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 48 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 5/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 5
Guidelines and images to assist us in loving when tested.
Act in accordance with the counsels of the Lord: that is,
rise up in such wise, and with such qualities, as
to endow the body of this world with a living soul, and to
bring this young child, humanity, to the stage of
adulthood. So far as ye are able, ignite a candle of love
in every meeting, and with tenderness rejoice and
cheer ye every heart. Care for the stranger as for one of
your own; show to alien souls the same loving
kindness ye bestow upon your faithful friends. Should any
come to blows with you, seek to be friends with
him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve
unto his sores; should any taunt and mock at
you, meet him with love. Should any heap his blame upon
you, praise ye him; should he offer you a
deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and
should he threaten your life, grant him a
remedy that will heal him evermore. Should he be pain
itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be
ye his roses and sweet herbs. Perchance such ways and words
from you will make this darksome world
turn bright at last; will make this dusty earth turn
heavenly, this devilish prison place become a royal
palace of the Lord--so that war and strife will pass and be
no more, and love and trust will pitch their tents
on the summits of the world. Such is the essence of God's
admonitions; such in sum are the teachings for
the Dispensation of Baha.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 34)
Conflict and contention forbidden
Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in His
Book. This is a decree of God in this Most
Great Revelation. It is divinely preserved from annulment
and is invested by Him with the splendour of
His confirmation. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-
Wise.
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 221)
Drawing close to each other, and not permitting the
shortcomings of others to be a source of disunity
that would deprive thirsty souls of this message.
The believers, as we all know, should endeavour to set
such an example in their personal lives and
conduct that others will feel impelled to embrace a Faith
which reforms human character. However,
unfortunately, not everyone achieves easily and rapidly the
victory over self. What every believer, new or
old, should realise is that the Cause has the spiritual
power to re-create us if we make the effort to let that
power influence us, and the greatest help in this respect is
prayer. We must supplicate Baha'u'llah to
assist us to overcome the failings in our own characters,
and also exert our own will-power in mastering
ourselves.
He will certainly pray for the work of the beloved Cause
there and especially that new souls may be
attracted and embrace the Faith. He will also pray that the
believers may, for the sake of God, draw close
to each other and not permit each other's short-comings to
be a source of disunity and consequently a
means of depriving thirsty souls of this life-giving
Message! The world is full of evil and dark forces and
the friends must not permit these forces to get hold of them
by thinking and feeling negatively towards
each other.... (Unfolding Destiny: Messages of the
Guardian, p. 442)
continued
... Dogs come when called; Cats have answering machines.
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 49 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 6/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 6
Keeping aloof from backbiting. (Guidance to a true seeker)
But, O my brother, when a true seeker determines to take
the step of search in the path leading to the
knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else,
cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat
of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the
obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the
allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge
his breast, which is the sanctuary of the
abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and
sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and
clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so
cleanse his heart that no remnant of either
love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly
incline him to error, or that hate repel him away
from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this day how
most of the people, because of such love and
hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from
the Embodiments of the divine mysteries, and,
shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion
and error. That seeker must at all times put
his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth,
detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave
unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to
exalt himself above any one, must wash away
from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and
vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation,
observe silence, and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue
is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a
deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the
fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and
soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst
the effects of the latter endure a century.
That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous
error,
and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as
backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and
extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content
with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire.
He should treasure the companionship of those that have
renounced the world, and regard avoidance of
boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn
of every day he should commune with God,
and with all his soul persevere in the quest of his Beloved.
He should consume every wayward thought
with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the
swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him. He
should succour the dispossessed, and never withhold his
favour from the destitute. He should show
kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to
him who is endowed with the power of
utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for
his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to
turn him away from the Truth. He should not wish for others
that which he doth not wish for himself, nor
promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart
should the seeker avoid fellowship with evil
doers, and pray for the remission of their sins. He should
forgive the sinful, and never despise his low
estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How
often hath a sinner, at the hour of death, attained
to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught,
hath taken his flight unto the celestial
Concourse. And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour
of his soul's ascension, been so changed as
to fall into the nethermost fire. Our purpose in revealing
these convincing and weighty utterances is to
impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else
beside God as transient, and count all things save
Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter
nothingness.
(Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 192-194)
continued
... Solitude is bliss
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 50 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 7/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 7
Dealing with backbiting, and praising others.
O beloved of the Lord! If any soul speak ill of an absent
one, the only result will clearly be this: he will
dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make them
indifferent. For backbiting is divisive, it is the
leading cause among the friends of a disposition to
withdraw. If any individual should speak ill of one
who is absent, it is incumbent on his hearers, in a
spiritual and friendly manner, to stop him, and say in
effect: would this detraction serve any useful purpose?
Would it please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to
the lasting honour of the friends, promote the holy Faith,
support the Covenant, or be of any possible
benefit to any soul? No, never! On the contrary, it would
make the dust to settle so thickly on the heart
that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes would no
longer behold the light of truth. If, however, a
person setteth about speaking well of another, opening his
lips to praise another, he will touch an
answering chord in his hearers and they will be stirred up
by the breathings of God. Their hearts and
souls will rejoice to know that, God be thanked, here is a
soul in the Faith who is a focus of human
perfections, a very embodiment of the bounties of the Lord,
one whose tongue is eloquent, and whose face
shineth, in whatever gathering he may be, one who hath
victory upon his brow, and who is a being
sustained by the sweet savours of God. Now which is the
better way? I swear this by the beauty of the
Lord: whensoever I hear good of the friends, my heart
filleth up with joy; but whensoever I find even a
hint that they are on bad terms one with another, I am
overwhelmed by grief. Such is the condition of
Abdu'l-Baha. Then judge from this where your duty lieth.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 230-231)
Love of God, overlooking deficiencies of others.
For love of God and spiritual attraction do cleanse and
purify the human heart and dress and adorn it
with the spotless garment of holiness; and once the heart is
entirely attached to the Lord, and bound over
to the Blessed Perfection, then will the grace of God be
revealed.
This love is not of the body but completely of the soul.
And those souls whose inner being is lit by the
love of God are even as spreading rays of light, and they
shine out like stars of holiness in a pure and
crystalline sky. For true love, real love, is the love for
God, and this is sanctified beyond the notions and
imaginings of men.
...
Wherefore must the friends of God, with utter sanctity,
with one accord, rise up in the spirit, in unity
with one another, to such a degree that they will become
even as one being and one soul. On such a plane
as this, physical bodies play no part, rather doth the
spirit take over and rule; and when its power
encompasseth all then is spiritual union achieved. Strive
ye by day and night to cultivate your unity to the
fullest degree. Let your thoughts dwell on your own
spiritual development, and close your eyes to the
deficiencies of other souls. Act ye in such wise, showing
forth pure and goodly deeds, and modesty and
humility, that ye will cause others to be awakened.
Never is it the wish of Abdu'l-Baha to see any being
hurt, nor will He make anyone to grieve; for man
can receive no greater gift than this, that he rejoice
another's heart. I beg of God that ye will be bringers
of joy, even as are the angels in Heaven.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 202-204)
continued
... one to the power of infinity indicates the unity of all!
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 51 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 8/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 8
Look not upon the purity or impurity of others, rather look
to God.
O ye loved ones of God! In this, the Baha'i dispensation,
God's Cause is spirit unalloyed. His Cause
belongeth not to the material world. It cometh neither for
strife nor war, nor for acts of mischief or of
shame; it is neither for quarrelling with other Faiths, nor
for conflicts with the nations. Its only army is
the love of God, its only joy the clear wine of His
knowledge, its only battle the expounding of the Truth;
its one crusade is against the insistent self, the evil
promptings of the human heart. Its victory is to submit
and yield, and to be selfless is its everlasting glory. In
brief, it is spirit upon spirit:
Unless ye must,
Bruise not the serpent in the dust,
How much less wound a man.
And if ye can,
No ant should ye alarm,
Much less a brother harm.
Let all your striving be for this, to become the source of
life and immortality, and peace and comfort and
joy, to every human soul, whether one known to you or a
stranger, one opposed to you or on your side.
Look ye not upon the purity or impurity of his nature: look
ye upon the all-embracing mercy of the Lord,
the light of Whose grace hath embosomed the whole earth and
all who dwell thereon, and in the plenitude
of Whose bounty are immersed both the wise and the ignorant.
Stranger and friend alike are seated at the
table of His favour. Even as the believer, the denier who
turneth away from God doth at the same time
cup his hands and drink from the sea of His bestowals.
It behoveth the loved ones of the Lord to be the signs and
tokens of His universal mercy and the
embodiments of His own excelling grace. Like the sun, let
them cast their rays upon garden and rubbish
heap alike, and even as clouds in spring, let them shed down
their rain upon flower and thorn. Let them
seek but love and faithfulness, let them not follow the ways
of unkindness, let their talk be confined to the
secrets of friendship and of peace. Such are the attributes
of the righteous, such is the distinguishing
mark of those who serve His Threshold.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pp. 256-257)
Behold Him, overlook faults
CXLVI. It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may
become a source of all goodness unto men,
and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware lest ye
prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix
your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He,
in truth, hath offered up His life as a
ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the
All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most High. If
any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before
your face, and overlook the faults of one
another for My name's sake and as a token of your love for
My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love
to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord
within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to
inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and
unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. Thus
counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall
always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of
your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for
naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth witness
every man of true understanding.
continued
... I'm known as a crank who doesn't wear socks - Einstein
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 52 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 9/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 9
CXLVII. The Most Great Name beareth Me witness! How sad if
any man were, in this Day, to rest his
heart on the transitory things of this world! Arise, and
cling firmly to the Cause of God. Be most loving
one to another. Burn away, wholly for the sake of the Well-
Beloved, the veil of self with the flame of the
undying Fire, and with faces joyous and beaming with light,
associate with your neighbor. Ye have well
observed, in all its aspects, the behavior of Him Who is the
Word of Truth amidst you. Ye know full well
how hard it is for this Youth to allow, though it be for one
night, the heart of any one of the beloved of
God to be saddened by Him.
The Word of God hath set the heart of the world afire;
how regrettable if ye fail to be enkindled with its
flame! Please God, ye will regard this blessed night as the
night of unity, will knit your souls together,
and resolve to adorn yourselves with the ornament of a
goodly and praiseworthy character. Let your
principal concern be to rescue the fallen from the slough of
impending extinction, and to help him
embrace the ancient Faith of God. Your behavior towards your
neighbor should be such as to manifest
clearly the signs of the one true God, for ye are the first
among men to be re-created by His Spirit, the first
to adore and bow the knee before Him, the first to circle
round His throne of glory. I swear by Him Who
hath caused Me to reveal whatever hath pleased Him! Ye are
better known to the inmates of the Kingdom
on high than ye are known to your own selves. Think ye these
words to be vain and empty? Would that ye
had the power to perceive the things your Lord, the All-
Merciful, doth see - things that attest the
excellence of your rank, that bear witness to the greatness
of your worth, that proclaim the sublimity of
your station! God grant that your desires and unmortified
passions may not hinder you from that which
hath been ordained for you.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 315- 317)
Closing Prayer
Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of
the nations, O Thou Who hast become manifest in the
Greatest Name whereby the pearls of wisdom and utterance
have appeared from the shells of the great sea of Thy
knowledge,
and the heavens of divine revelation have been
adorned with the light of the appearance of the Sun of Thy
countenance.
I beg of Thee, by that Word through which Thy proof
was perfected among Thy creatures and Thy testimony was
fulfilled among Thy servants to strengthen Thy people in
that whereby the face of the Cause will radiate in Thy
dominion, the standards of Thy power will be planted
among Thy servants, and the banners of Thy guidance will
be raised throughout Thy dominions.
O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope
of Thy grace and holding fast unto the hem of the mantle
of Thy beneficence. Ordain for them that which may draw
them nearer unto Thee, and withhold them from all else
save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and
Protector of the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever
ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a sea moving by Thy desire,
as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree, shining
from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will. Verily Thou
art the mighty One Whom neither the power of all the
world nor the strength of nations can weaken. There is no
God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the Protector,
the Self-Subsistent.
(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 33-34)
continued
... Angels of holiness welcome you by the glad-tidings of God.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
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Ä Area: The Baha'i International Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 53 Date: 08-29-96 11:05
From: Zaynab Richmond Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Love 10/10
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Part 10
Excercise 1: Identifying key points for loving others:
Find passages in this compilation, or elsewhere in the Baha'i writings,
that explain these points, or other points you find...
1) Love of God ____________________
2) Loving others for the sake of God __________________
3) Rather than judging others, look to God. _______________
4) Ignore the bad, look to the good ___________________
5) Sweet tongues ____________________
6) Conflict and contention are forbidden __________________
7) Being kind to all, even strangers and enemies __________
8) Avoiding backbiting ____________________
9) Praising others. ____________________
10) ____________________ ____________________
11) ____________________ ____________________
12) ____________________ ____________________
Exercise 2: Applying what we've learned to particular
relationships:
Think of a person in your life whom you feel challenged to
feel more loving towards. (You can do this
exercise for more than one person, but pick one person
first).
Part 1:
List the qualities about that person that you find
attractive, good, positive. At least one.
Part 2:
List some particular things you can do in the near term in
your relationship with that person to increase
your bonds of love.
... "Hail to thee, then, O LOVE, sweet madness!" -- Rumi --
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