“The Word of God
is the king of words
and its pervasive influence is incalculable.
It hath ever dominated
and will continue to dominate
the realm of being…
…The Word is the master key for the whole world
inasmuch through its potency
the doors of the hearts of men,
which in reality are the doors of heaven,
are unlocked…”
Bahá’u’lláh
Year 180 B. E. – Bahá/Splendour – Month 4 – ʻAẓamat/Grandeur
I IMPLORE Thee by the splendour of the light of Thy glorious face,
the majesty of Thine ancient grandeur
and the power of Thy transcendent sovereignty
to ordain for us at this moment every measure
of that which is good and seemly
and to destine for us every portion
of the outpourings of Thy grace.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p. 186)
Day 11 – Mas͟híyyat/Will & Jalál/Glory
He shall, if it be His Will,
bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice,
who will gather together the flock of God
which the wolves have scattered.
(Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p.53)
Have ye fondly imagined your glory to be imperishable
and your dominion to be everlasting?
Nay, by Him Who is the All-Merciful!
Neither will your glory last,
nor will Mine abasement endure.
(Bahá’u’lláh, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p.169)
Day 12 – ʻIlm/Knowledge & Jamál/Beauty
The knowledge of Him,
Who is the Origin of all things,
and attainment unto Him,
are impossible save through knowledge of,
and attainment unto,
these luminous Beings who proceed from the Sun of Truth.
(Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p.142)
O FRIENDS!
Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die,
and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.
(Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p.26)
Day 13 – Qudrat/Power & Kamál/Perfection
Say: It is in Our power,
should We wish it, to cause all created things to expire in an instant,
and, with the next, to endue them again with life.
(Bahá’u’lláh, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p.39)
Its raiment is the fear of God,
and its perfection steadfastness in His Faith.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p.291)
Day 14 – Qawl/Speech & Kalimát/Words & Fidál/Grace
Hearken unto My speech,
and tarry not though it be for less than a moment.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p.257)
Seek ye His grace,
for he that seeketh it treadeth His straight Path.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p.248)
Day 15 – Masáʼil/Questions `Idál/Justice
It must be the authority of human reason,
and if reason or intellect finds itself incapable of explaining certain questions,
or if the possessors of intellect contradict each other
in the interpretation of traditions,
how can such a criterion be relied upon for accurate conclusions?
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 254)
The second attribute of perfection is justice and impartiality.
This means to have no regard for one’s own personal benefits and selfish advantages,
and to carry out the laws of God
without the slightest concern for anything else.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 39)
Day 16 – S͟haraf/Honour & Istijlál/Majesty
Religion confers upon man eternal life
and guides his footsteps in the world of morality.
It opens the doors of unending happiness
and bestows everlasting honor upon the human kingdom.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.361)
Praise be to Him Who hath fashioned this new era,
this age of majesty,
even as an unfolding pageant
here the realities of all things can be exposed to view.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p.38)
Day 17 – Sulṭán/Sovereignty & Istiqlál/Independence
For Bahá’ís say that the sovereignty of Christ
was a heavenly, divine, everlasting sovereignty,
not a Napoleonic sovereignty that vanisheth in a short time.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p.45-46)
All creatures are dependent upon God,
however great may seem their knowledge, power and independence.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p.19)
“The understanding of His words
and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven
are in no wise dependent upon human learning.
They depend solely upon purity of heart,
chastity of soul,
freedom of spirit.”
Bahá’u’lláh