Reality, Soul and
the Worlds of God
IV. The Workshop of Interacting Souls
[Compiler: “The Workshop of Interacting Souls” is a continuation of the “
Life Path of the Soul” in Section III. E., but emphasizing the macrocosmic repercussions and macrocosmic environment of souls’ lives interacting with each other.]
E. God’s Purpose for Man in Fulfillment
2. The Soul Responding through Prayer
g. Fulfillment of Specific Needs, Through Prayer
[from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh:]
1467.Recite thou this prayer that hath flowed from the tongue of this Wronged One, and ponder thereon with a heart rid of all attachment, and with ears that are pure and sanctified, be attentive to its meaning, that haply thou mayest inhale the breath of detachment and have pity upon thyself and upon others: ….
(Bahá’u’lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 9)
1468.There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
(Bahá’u’lláh: Prayers and Meditations, Selection CLXXXI, “Short Obligatory Prayer”, p. 314)
1469.….grant that my name may be recorded by Thy pen of glory among Thy devoted ones….O prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God!
(Bahá’u’lláh: Bahá’í Prayers (US), “Steadfastness” section, pp. 187-188)
1470.Take ye good heed, O peoples of the world, lest ye flee from His face. Nay, make haste to attain His presence, and be of them that have returned unto Him. Pray to be forgiven, O people, for having failed in your duty towards God, and for having trespassed against His Cause, and be not of the foolish. He it is Who hath created you; He it is Who hath nourished your souls through His Cause, and enabled you to recognize Him Who is the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing.
(Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection LII, pp. 104-105)
1471.….thy Lord….verily, will incline His ear to the prayer of every one that visiteth thee
1, who will circle around thee, and calleth upon Him in thy name.
(Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection LVII, p. 114)
1(“O House of God”, addressed in this Tablet)
[from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:]
1472.Whenever ye enter the council-chamber, recite this prayer
with a heart throbbing with the love of God and a tongue purified from
all but His remembrance, that the All-Powerful may graciously aid you
to achieve supreme victory:
1
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selection #42, p. 86)
1(Prayer follows in original text)
1473.He is the All-Glorious!
O God, my God! Lowly and tearful, I raise my suppliant hands to Thee and cover my face in the dust of that Threshold of Thine, exalted above the knowledge of the learned, and the praise of all that glorify Thee. Graciously look upon Thy servant, humble and lowly at Thy door, with the glances of the eye of Thy mercy, and immerse him in the Ocean of Thine eternal grace.
Lord! He is a poor and lowly servant of Thine, enthralled and imploring Thee, captive in Thy hand, praying fervently to Thee, trusting in Thee, in tears before Thy face, calling to Thee and beseeching Thee….
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selection #237, p. 319)
1474.With this prayer doth Thy servant call Thee, at dawntide and in the night-season. Fulfil his heart’s desire, O Lord! Illumine his heart, gladden his bosom, kindle his light, that he may serve Thy Cause and Thy servants.
Thou art the Bestower, the Pitiful, the Most Bountiful, the Gracious, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selection #237, p. 320)
[from the talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (no authority):]
1475.The prayer of the prophets of God has always been, and still is: Oh God, I long to lay down my life in the path to Thee! I desire to shed my blood for Thee, and to make the supreme sacrifice.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Paris Talks, “The Benefits of God to Man, 4 Avenue de Camoens, October 27th”, p. 51)
1476.Pray to God that He may strengthen you in divine virtue, so that you may be as angels in the world, and beacons of light to disclose the mysteries of the Kingdom to those with understanding hearts.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Paris Talks, “The Two Natures in Man, November 1st”, p. 61)
1477.If we are sick and in distress let us implore God’s healing, and He will answer our prayer.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Paris Talks, “Pain and Sorrow, November 22nd”, p. 111)
[from the Writings or talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (no authority):]
1478.O thou who warmest thyself by the fire of the love of God, spreading from the Tree of the Covenant! Let thy soul be at ease and thy heart in peace concerning the perfect success and progress which the pen is not able to express, for in a short time thou shalt see the flag of the Kingdom waving in those far and wide regions, and the lights of the Truth shining brilliantly in its dawn above those horizons, and thou shalt know that thou art the center of the circle of the love of God, the axis around which souls revolve in their way and supplication to God. Therefore, thou must widen thy heart, dilate thy breast, have patience in plenty, calmness of soul and cut thyself from everything but God! By God, the truth is, if thou goest according to the teachings of El-Abd and followest the steps of Him who is annihilated in God, thou shalt see that the cohorts of the Kingdom of God will come to thy help, one after another, and that the hosts of the Might of God will be in thy presence in steady succession, the gates of the great victory opened and the rays of the brilliant morning diffused! By thy life, O my beloved! if thou didst know what God had ordained for thee, thou wouldst fly with delight and thy happiness, gladness and joy would increase every hour. El-Bahá be upon thee!
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the compilation Bahá’í World Faith, p. 363)
1479.Thou hast written concerning the meetings and the gathering places of the believers of God. Such assemblies and congregations will greatly aid the promotion of the Word—and all the audience, whether friends or not friends, become affected. But when the friends have the intention of entering in these meetings and assemblies, they must first make the purpose pure, disengage the heart from all other reflections, ask the inexhaustible divine confirmation and with the utmost devotion and humility set their feet in the gathering-place. Let them not introduce any topic in the meeting except the mentioning of the True One, neither must they confuse that merciful assembly with perplexed outside questions. They must either teach or open their tongues in propounding argument, either commune or supplicate and pray to God, either read Tablets or give out advices or exhortations.
Make ye an effort in every meeting that the Lord’s Supper may become realized and the heavenly food descend. This heavenly food is knowledge, understanding, faith, assurance, love, affinity, kindness, purity of purpose, attraction of hearts and the union of souls. It was this manner of the Lord’s Supper which descended from the heavenly kingdom in the day of Christ. When the meeting is conducted after this manner, then ‘Abdu’l-Bahá also is present in heart and soul, though His body may not be with you.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the compilation Bahá’í World Faith, pp. 407-408)
1480.O friends of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His co-sharers and partners in the servitude of the Lord of Hosts! Verily the greatest affair and the most important matter today is to establish a Mashriqu’l-Adhkar and to found a Temple from which the voice of praisings may rise to the Kingdom of the majestic Lord….
When the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar is accomplished, when the lights are emanating therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent God. The people shall hasten to worship in that heavenly Temple, the fragrances of God will be elevated, the divine teachings will be established in the hearts like the establishment of the Spirit in mankind; the people will then stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. Praise and greetings be upon you.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the compilation Bahá’í World Faith, p. 415)
1481.Now some of the writings, prayers and verses of the Blessed Beauty will be mentioned in which association with the violators is forbidden. In the Iranian Commune, He says:
“Protect this Servant from the doubts of the persons who have turned away from Thee and are deprived of the sea of Thy knowledge. O God! O God! Protect this Servant through Thy bounty and generosity from the evil of Thine enemies who have broken Thy Covenant and Testament.”
In another place He says: “O My God and the Aim of My Life! Protect this weak one with Thy Mighty hand from the voice of the Naegh.”
Also He says: “Ye have taken one whom I hate to be thy beloved, and My enemy to be thy friend.”
Also He says: “The company of the wicked ones increaseth sorrow, and the association with the pious ones removeth rust from the heart. The one who desires to associate with God, let him associate with His friends; the one who wishes to hear the Words of God, let him hear the words of His chosen ones.”
Also He says: “Do not associate with the wicked, because the company of the wicked changeth the light of life into the fire of remorse. If thou asketh for the bounties of the Holy Spirit, associate with the pure ones, because they have quaffed the eternal chalice from the hands of the Cupbearer of eternity.”
Also He says: “The greatest of degradation is to leave the Shadow of God and enter under the shadow of Satan.”
Also He says: “O ye servants! There is nothing in this heart save the effulgences of the splendor of the morn of Meeting, and it does not speak but the absolute truth from your Lord. Therefore, do not follow self; break not God’s Covenant and violate not His Testament. Proceed with perfect steadfastness, and with heart, soul and tongue, turn unto Him, and be not of the thoughtless.”
And still He says: “You have forgotten God’s Covenant and violated His Testament.”
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the compilation Bahá’í World Faith, p. 434)