“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 181 B. E. – Ḥubb/Love– Month 3 – Jamál/Beauty
Number me, O my God,
with those who are privileged
to fix their gaze upon Thy Beauty
and who take such delight therein
that they would not exchange a single moment thereof
with the sovereignty
of the kingdom of heavens and earth
or with the entire realm of creation.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.216)
Day 1 Bahá/Splendour & Jalál/Glory
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
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)
Glory be unto Thee, O my God,
Thou art well aware
that I have proclaimed Thy Word
and have not failed in the mission Thou didst enjoin upon me.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.167)
Ninth Day of Riḍván
Day 2 Jalál/Glory & Jamál/Beauty
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
O MY God!
I have failed to know Thee as is worthy of Thy glory,
and I have failed to fear Thee
as befitteth my station.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.205)
And when He intoneth the anthems
of the greatness of God all Paradise
waileth in its longing to gaze on His Beauty,
and when He chanteth words of praise
and glorification of God all Paradise
becomes motionless like unto ice locked
in the heart of a frost-bound mountain.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.54)
Day 3 Jamál/Beauty & Kamál/Perfection
Monday, April 29th, 2024
How can I extol the effulgent beauty of Thy Lordship,
conscious as I am
of my nothingness before the habitation of Thy glory?
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.217)
The stage of perfection
of everything is reached
when its resurrection occurreth.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.107)
Day 4 ʻAẓamat/Grandeur & Fidál/Grace
Tuesday April 30th, 2024
It would be likewise,
if a man of learning in His Day were to claim
to be an exponent of knowledge,
or if he who is possessed
of riches were to display his affluence,
or if a man wielding power
were to assert his own authority,
or if one invested with grandeur were to show forth his glory.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.100)
It behooveth you to proclaim the Cause of God
unto all created things
as a token of grace from His presence;
no God is there but Him,
the Most Generous, the All-Compelling.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.10)
Twelfth Day of Riḍván
Day 5 Núr/Light & Idál/Justice
Wednesday, May 1st, 2024
Fain would he extinguish the light
which thy Lord hath kindled,
so that the old impiety
which is concealed in his inner being may not be revealed.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.25)
Should this not come to pass,
whatever We have set down
shall remain binding and irrevocably decreed by God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting,
and We shall therefore banish thee
from Our presence as a token of justice on Our part.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.30)
Day 6 Raḥmat/Mercy & Istijlál/Majesty
Thursday May 2nd, 2024
Be Thou sufficient unto us of all things,
forgive our sins and have mercy upon us.
Thou art Our Lord and the Lord of all created things.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.213)
And I bear witness
unto whatsoever He hath fashioned or will fashion,
even as He Himself,
in the majesty of His glory, hath borne witness:
No God is there but Him,
the Peerless, the Self-Subsisting, the Most Wondrous.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.18)
Day 7 Kalimát/Words & Istiqlál/Independence
Friday May 3rd, 2024
Words with true faith
shall be immune from the fire.
Thus the believer,
through his recognition of Him
will appreciate the transcendent character
of His heavenly Words,
will whole-heartedly choose Him over others,
and will refuse to incline
his affections towards those who disbelieve in Him.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.99)
We are but the embodiments of poverty,
of nothingness, of helplessness and of perdition,
while Thy whole Being betokeneth wealth,
independence, glory, majesty
and boundless grace.
(The Báb, Selections From the Writings of the Báb, p.179)
“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