Bahá’í World/Volume 21/Messages from the Universal House of Justice
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The following four messages were sent by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world during the 1992—1993 Bahd‘t Holy Yean
MESSAGES FROM THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF J USTICE
RIDVAN 1992
To the Bahá’ís of the World Dearly loved Friends.
At this Riḍván season. with its inherent splendors and its initiation of unusual. eventful days. our hearts throb 1n wonderment, we kneel in homage to the King of Glory by Whose grace we have arrived at an auspicious juncture in the history of His Cause.
horn the peak of triumph of the Six Year Plan now ended. we come to the threshold of the Holy Year, now begun, awestnlck at the very thought of the unique significances associated with the commemoration of that sanctified occasion one hundred years ago when Bahá’u’lláh. the Promised One of all ages. took His leave of this earthly life. The Sun of Truth. however. was to set only to shine everlastingly from the "Kingdom of fadeless glory." thenceforward to shed the radiance of its regenerative power on the entire world. Gone from this plane was He Who is the Author of a Revelation of “inconceivable greatness“ in which “all the Dlspensations of the past have attained their highest. their final consummation"; the Originator of a new Universal Cycle “that must extend over a period of at least five hundred thousand years"; the
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Founder of a World Order, a “System—me like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.“ Moreover. He was the Dawning Point of the Day of God, the “Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men." Such are the superlative realities upon which our contemplations are focused during this special anniversary occurring at this crucial moment in the affairs of humankind.
So imbued are we by the sacred remembrances evoked by this Holy Year. that we can do no less than invite you all to take pause to enter into this period of reflection. this time of reconsecration. this stage of preparation for tasks yet to be done. heights yet to be attained. splendors yet to be unveiled. For if we look back at one hundred years of an unexampled history of unremitting progress. we also look forward to many centuries of unfolding fulfillment of divine purpose—fulflllment. which as experience has shown, is incrementally realized through the systematic advances of Plans and the wondrous leaps and thrusts of epochs.
Indeed. the immediate portal to this propitious Holy Year is the vista of new horizons opened by the triumph of the Six Year Plan, which coincided with the initial phase of the fourth epoch of the Formative Age of our Faith. Overall it is not so much a triumph in numerical achievements, though in many places and at particular moments the scope of expansion was extraordinary. It is a triumph that has been manifested in a new variety of victories, in new beginnings. fresh initiatives and mature institutional developments, such as to stamp the seal of success on the Plan‘s seven major objectives. Impossible as it is to enumerate in these few pages the results of the Plan. the main aspects of the developments in this remarkably dynamic period deserve, nonetheless, to be highlighted. The Bahá’í community changed markedly over the last six years The major indicators are. no doubt. discernible to the friends everywhere and may be summed up thus:
One: The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is represented in every country on earth. The sudden change in the political climate, no doubt by intervention of God’s Major Plan, opened vast regions to the penetration of the divine teachings, primarily in
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the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries. The opportunities created by this change made possible the settlement of Knights of Bahá’u’lláh in the last virgin territories that remained from Shoghi Effendi's Ten Year World Crusade. They also impelled the launching at Riḍván 1990 of the subsidiary Two Year Plan for those regions. This supplementary Plan_was a spectacular success. not only in terms of expansion in the many countries involved. but also in the diversity of the strata represented by the new believers in these countries, in the volume and variety of Bahá’í literature published and in the array of Bahá’í institutions established during that short time. The Bahá’í world was highly stimulated by these developments. and a number of countries elsewhere recorded significant successes in the teaching work. Figures already available to the World Centre indicate that more than one and a half million souls entered the Cause during the Six Year Plan. Of particular interest was the three-year special teaching project in Guyana which resulted in an increase of the size of the Bahá’í community to some six percent of the country‘s population.
Two: The proclamation of the Faith throughout the world attained an entirely new stage. The campaign of proclamation launched in 1967 through the inspiration of the centennial anniversary of Bahá‘u'lláh's Proclamation to the kings and rulers of mankind, and which gathered added momentum in 1979 with the surge of the persecution of the Iranian Bahá’í community. now covered a greatly expanded range with the distribution of The Promise of World Peace. Kings. queens. presidents, prime ministers. legislators. jurists. academics. diverse institutions and organizations became aware of Bahá‘u'lláh's Message. The creative energies by which communities everywhere were exercised in broadcasting the Cause became one of the driving forces of the Plan and in no small way stimulated the interest of organizations, leaders of thought and the media in the solutions which the Faith has to offer to a strangely disordered world. Inspired by the impact of the measures they adopted for proclamation of the Faith. and also by that of their continuing efforts to defend the sorely persecuted Iranian Bahá’í community. National and Local Spiritual Assemblies
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displayed and continue to display a striking audacity and originality in dealing with the public. This is evident in their innumerable contacts with officials at all levels of government. in their association With a widening spectrum of organizations. and in the increasing facility of their contacts with the media
Three: The dedication in December 1986 of the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent to public worship introduced'a new force to the teaching and proclamation activities of the Faith. As an edifice of rare beauty and excellence. the “Lotus Temple" has won wide acclaim. while at the same time exerting an extraordinary appeal to great numbers of visitors. Its fame as an architectural wonder spread with speed as did its spiritual influence. It is no exaggeration to say that of all the Bahá’í Houses of Worship, this Temple is today the single most effective silent teacher of the Faith, annually attracting more visitors, at the average rate of 20.000 daily. than all the other Bahá’í Temples combined. Among its visitors from many lands are some of the most prominent persons in the world. A source of great interest to the media. the Temple has been featured in television programs, even in Russia and China. The influence of its success in these respects has contributed immeasurably to the widespread public awareness of the Faith.
F our: The further emergence of the Faith from obscurity is reflected in distinctive ways. In learned circles, in reference works and in the media. the Faith is increasingly being referred to as a “principal" or “major” world religion. Media coverage of the Faith‘s activities has increased voluminously by the intensified efforts of the friends in proclamation activities. but more important is the fact that the media are showing an independent interest in the Bahá’í community and are initiating contacts with it in various parts of the world. The exposure of influential segments of the public to Bahá’í ideas in such areas as peace. the environment. status of women. education and literacy. has induced a response which increasingly calls upon the Bahá’ís to participate with others in a range of projects associated with governments or with nongovernmental organizations.
Moreover. such exposure is creating in the public mind the
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realization that the Faith has answers to current problems and thus the expectation that the Bahá’í community should take a more active part in public affairs. The notable success of the activities of the Bahá’í [ntemational Community‘s Office of the Environment. established during the Plan. amply illustrates the nature of these developments. Furthermore. the formal relationship which the Bahá’í International Community e'stabv lished with the Conservation and Religion Network of the World Wide Fund for Nature and With the World Conference on Religion and Peace. in conjunction with the numerous such relationships established by National and Local Spiritual Assemblies in their respective jurisdictions. reflects a trend in the Faith‘s emergence as an entity to be reckoned with. Altogether. the drive of the ramifled proclamation campaign has produced a public resonance about the Faith. which can be said to be known to the most significant public institutions and prominent persons on earth.
Five: Bahá’í projects of social and economic development have greatly multiplied and brought much credit to the community in the examples of the power of group initiative and voluntary consultative action that have been set in numerous places. Activities in this respect involved more than one thousand projects in the areas of education. agriculture. health. literacy. the environment and improvement of the status of women. In a number of instances the projects benefited from collaboration with or assistance from governments and international non-governmental organizations, as, for examp16. the projects for the improvement of the status of women undertaken by five National‘Spiritual Assemblies with the financial assistance of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). and those projects in other fields receiving assistance from the Canadian. Indian. German and Norwegian governments. Some projects have been so distinguished in their achievements as to be given public notice through the citations and awards of governments and international nongovernmental agencies.
Six: Youth activities took on a special character shaped by the idea of a youth year of service. The involvement of the
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youth in the Six Year Plan as short—term pioneers, travelling teachers and projecteers had a profound effect on the teaching work overall and in bolstering the efforts at social and economic development attempted by growing numbers of national and local communities. They had much to do with the many victories in the former communist countries. Their work in social and economic development projects attracted, in some cases. the attention of governments and development organizations. Creation of the European Bahá’í Youth Council galvanized -the activities of the youth which powerfully reinforced the teaching thrust on that continent during the final years of the Plan. A significant feature of the youth’s activities has been their involvement. as short-term volunteers from all parts of the planet. in the work of the World Centre where their services have been of inestimable value.
Seven: The advances in the consolidation of the Bahá’í administrative system are evident from the marked improvement in the internal development and collaborative efforts of its two arms. The cherished and intrepid Hands of the Cause of God. true to the allegiance they bear to their beloved Guardian. persevere In their unique services, astonishing the community with their resilient powers. The growth in confidence and strength of the Boards of Counsellors and their auxiliaries. backed by a reinforced and vigorous International Teaching Centre, assured to the Spiritual Assemblies, whom they are charged to stimulate and advise, a buttressing indispensable to the welfare of the entire system; while the extension of the span of activities of the National and Local Spiritual Assemblies. themselves charged with guiding the destinies of their communities. significantly broadened the base of that system. Collateraliy. the work of these institutions has facilitated and boosted the evolution of the Administrative Order. Even more: they have demonstrated a creative energ that bodes well for their continued maturation.
Eight: The great building projects on the Mountain of God. anticipated by Bahá’u’lláh in the Tablet of Carmel. inaugurated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with the construction of the Tomb of the Báb and carried forward in the plans of Shoghi Effendi. entered a
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new stage. Work commenced in May 1990 on reinforcing and extending the main terrace of the Shrine of the Báb as the initial step towards realizing the architectural concept for fulfilling ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s vision of the Terraces that will extend from the foot to the ridge of the mountain. By September of the next year. ground was broken for the construction of the Centre for the Study of the Texts and for the Extension t5 the International Archives Building, to be followed by the construction of other edifices on the Arc. namely: the buildings for the International Teaching Centre and. in due course. the International Bahá’í Library.
All these developments have made it evident that the accumulated potential for further progress of the Bahá’í community is localculable. The changed situation within and among nations and the many problems afflicting society amplify this potential. The impression produced by such change is of the near approach of the Lesser Peace. But there has been a simultaneous recrudescence of countervailing forces. With the fresh tide of political freedom resulting from the collapse of the strongholds of communism has come an explosion of nationalism. The concomitant rise of racism in many regions has become a matter of serious global concern. These are compounded by an upsurge in religious fundamentalism which is poisoning the wells of tolerance. Terrorism is rife. Widespread uncertainty about the condition of the economy indicates a deep disorder in the management of the material affairs of the planet, 3 condition which can only exacerbate the sense of frustration and futility affecting the political realm. The worsening state of the environment and of the health of huge populations is a source of alarm. And yet an element of this change is the amazing advances in communications technology making possible the rapid transmission of information and ideas from one part of the world to the otheri It is against such "simultaneous processes of rise and fall, of integration and of disintegration. of order and chaos. with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other," that a myriad new opportunities for the next stage in the unfoldment of the beloved Master‘s Divine Plan present themselves.
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The burgeoning influence of Bahá’u’lláh's Revelation seemed. with the imminence of the Holy Year. to have assumed the character of an onrushlng wind blowing through the archaic structures of the old order. felling mighty pillars and clearing the ground for new conceptions of social organization. The call for unity. for a new world order, is audible from many directions. The change in world society is characterized by a phenomenal speed. A feature of this change is a suddenness, or precipitateness. which appears to be the consequence of some mysterious. rampant force. The positive aspects of this change reveal an unaccustomed openness to global concepts. movement towards international and regional collaboration. an inclination of waning parties to opt for peaceful solutions. a search for spintual values. hen the Community of the Most Great Name itself is experiencing the rigorous effects of this quickenlng wind as it ventilates the modes of thought of us all. renewing. clarifying and amplifying our perspectives as to the purpose of the Order of Bahá’u’lláh in the wake of humanity's suffering and turmoil.
The situation in the world. while presenting us with an acute challenge of the utmost urgency, calls to mind the encouraging global vision of Shoghi Effendi for the prospects of the Administrative Order during the second century of the Bahá’í Era. whose midpoint we are rapidly approaching. In 1946. he wrote: "The second century is destined to witness a tremendous deployment and a notable consolidation of the forces working towards the world—wide development of that Order, as well as the first stirrings of that World Order, of which the present Administrative System is at once the precursor. the nucleus and pattern—an Order which. as it slowly crystallizes and radiates its benign influence over the entlre planet, will proclaim at once the coming of age of the whole human race. as well as the maturity of the Faith itself. the progenitor of that Order.”
Attention to the special occasions of the Holy Year will surely equip us to undertake the urgent tasks of the next stage in the evolution of the Divine Plan. This commemorative period provides a befitting demarcation between the glories and
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triumphs of the last one hundred years and the lustrous prizes yet to be garnered. At the outset, we welcome with joyous and grateful hearts the further expansion and consolidation of the Administrative Order which will accrue from the formation this Riḍván of twelve National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies. How striking it is that the number of these Assemblies is the same as the total number of National Spiritual Assemblies which existed at the launching of the Ten Year World Crusade in 1953! This is gratifying evidence of the rapidity of the expansion of the Administrative Order in less than forty years. With these new Assemblies. and making allowance for the absorption of Sikkim into India and the disruption of the Bahá’í Administration by the unsettled situation in Liberia, the number of National Spiritual Assemblies which will take part in the seventh International Bahá’í Convention next Rielvan will reach 165.
We are pleased to announce that the following Hands of the Cause of God will attend, as our representatives, six of the founding Conventions. Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khanum will attend the Conventions of Bulgaria and of Poland; Mr. ‘AliAkbar Furfitan will attend those of the Baltic States and of Hungary; and Dr. ‘Ali-Muhammad Varqé will attend those of Greenland and of the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. At the remaining Conventions our representatives will be Counsellors: Mr. George Allen, the Congo Republic: Dr. Farzam Arbab, Central Asia; Mr. Rolf von Czékus, Angola; Mrs. Parvin Djoneidi, Niger; Mr. Hartmut Grossmann, Albania; and Mr. Mas‘fid Khamsi. Azerbaijan.
Only a few weeks fiforn now. in the sacred precincts of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. a gathering of solemn purpose will take place to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the Ascension of the Desire of the Nations. The scroll bearing the Roll of Honor of the Knights of Baha'u'llah will, on the previous morning, 28 May, have been deposited, as indicated by our beloved Guardian. at the entrance door of the inner Sanctuary of the Most Holy Shrine. there to remain a symbol of the historic victory that rewarded the unswerving determination of the lovers of the Blessed Beauty who. in response to the call of the
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mighty Ten Year Crusade. planted the banner of His Faith in virgin territories throughout the world.
Subsequently, in November, at the second Bahá’í World Congress. the hosts of Baha will gather in New York in their thousands to register, in a highly symbolic gesture on behalf of their brethren throughout the world. their regard for the Covenant which Baha'u'llah bequeathed, and to evoke the memory of Him Who was appointed its Centre and Who exalted that metropolis by bestowing upon it the designation “City of the Covenant." There they will also demonstrate the power of the unity that the Covenant is meant to ensure to all the peoples of the world. It will be a moment of capital importance to the Bahá’í community in the gaze of the world at large.
These two international events are pivotal to the gatherings of similar intent in which the friends in every corner of the world will take part. The spiritual character and dignified manner of their participation will surely draw down confirmations from on high and profoundly influence the constructive forces at work throughout the earth.
Another source of blessings to which we have long directed our hopes will also become manifest. Bahá’u’lláh has written: “While in prison We have revealed a Book which We have entitled The Most Holy Book'. We have enacted laws therein and adorned it with the commandments of thy Lord, Who exerciseth authority over all that are in the heavens and on the earth.” Hence. it is with full cognizance of its world—shaking significance that we inform you of the forthcoming publication during the course of this year of the annotated English translation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. the Charter of the future world civilization which Bahá’u’lláh revealed in the House of ‘Udi Khammar 1n Acre some six score years ago.
And now. amid the eager anticlpations occasioned by the two major commemorative events and by the imminent publication of the Mother Book of the Bahá’í Revelation. the Law of Ḥuqúqu’lláh takes effect as part of the constant practice of the members of our entire world community. May the promised divine bounties associated with the activation of this holy law be showered upon the beloved of the Lord in every land.
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A year charged with happenings of such sacred import is bound to yield consequences of unimaginable potency. The immediate outcome is, however, impossible to predict. nor can it be fruitfully speculated about. Rather should we direct our thoughts to the meaning of the solemn occasions which this year is set apart to memorialize. For the purpose of the Holy Year is not fulfilled by public memorials alone. befitting as they will be. Essential to its purpose is the opportunity it offers for inner reflection on the part of every Bahá’í individual. Indeed. this is a special time for a rendezvous of the soul with the Source of its light and guidance. a time to turn to Bahá’u’lláh. to seek to obtain a deeper appreciation of His purpose. to renew allegiance to Him. This is a time of retreat to one's innermost being, to the dwelling—place of the Spirit of Bahá. that interior to which He summons us when He says: “Turn thy sight unto thyself. that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.” This is a time for recommitment to the Covenant, for rededication to duty. for revitalizing the enery for teaching. the “most meritorious of all deeds."
As the foremost aid to your reflections and actions. you will doubtless draw upon the insight and inspiration of such of His words as these: "I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. 1 cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way." "By My Life! Not of Mine own volition have I revealed Myself, but God. of His own choosing. hath manifested Me.” “I have come in the shadows of the clouds of glory. and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty.” ”He that hath Me not is bereft of all things. Tum ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else but Me." “Love Me. that I may love thee. lf thou lovest Me not. My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, 0 servant." ”The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage. and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy. and be filled with gladness."
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Whatever our private reflections or response to duty may lead us to do, of one thing we must be sure: that the Name of Him Who is the Lifegiver of the World becomes known throughout the earth among high and low alike. Considering that it is already a whole century since the Blessed Beauty ascended, and given the crushing weight of the ills burdening the peoples of the world. and seeing that a veritable cry of anguish is issuing more loudly from the hearts of those who long for some hope of relief. we, His avowed servants. can neither falter‘nor fail in this pflmary and urgent duty. For He. Bahá’u’lláh. is the Supreme Manifestation. the Unifier and Redeemer of all mankind. the Fountainhead of Justice. the immortal Beloved; for. according to His own unerring proclamation. “He Who is the Unconditioned is come. in the clouds of light. that He may quicken all created things with the breezes of His Name. the Most Merciful, and unify the world. and gather all men around this Table which hath been sent down from heaven." Let us bear His Name with dignity to those who must hear It. offer It as a treasure to those who must receive lt. speak It with love to those who must embrace It.
How laudable it would be if. imbued by this desire to blazon abroad His Name. and as a demonstration of our special love for the Abhá Beauty, we could each of us mount a personal campaign of teaching. such that the collective force and results of it throughout the world would bring to a resounding conclusion the sacred exercises of this Holy Year and set the stage for the launching of the impending Three Year Plan at Riḍván 1993!
Finally. it is highly fitting at this time to recall Bahá’u’lláh’s expression in the Most Holy Book of His will for us with regard to the nature of our reactions to His passing: “Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world." He wrote. “when the day—star of My beauty is set. and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause. and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at all times. and shall strengthen you through the power of truth. We are truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me. will arise and serve Me with such determination that the powers of earth and heaven
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shall be unable to defeat his purpose.”
Beloved friends, we shall not forget to supplicate at the Holy Threshold that from His retreat of deathless splendor the Blessed Beauty may fill the souls of each and all of you with the revivifying breath of His celestial power.
ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENARY COMMEMORATION AT BAHJi OF THE ASCENSION OF BAHA'U'LLAH
A TRIBUTE BY THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
With soul—stirring emotion we gather in the hallowed environs of His resting place to honor the memory of the Supreme Manifestation of God. Bahá’u’lláh. on the solemn, historic occasion of the centenary of His ascension.
We lift our voices at the prompting of our hearts“ desire to pay tribute to a life infinitely beyond compare. But how shall we realize such a wish when it is evident that no mind can attain the comprehension which would make possible the vocabulary worthy of His celestial court? In very truth. our tongues falter in their impotence to describe, let alone extol. the prodigies of a prophetic career which was framed in superlatives. For here at Bahjí, one hundred years ago. was drawn the last breath on earth of the world‘s greatest Luminary, Founder of the Dispensation marking the culmination of the six-thousand—year-old Adamic Cycle. and Inaugurator of the five—thousand-century Bahá’í Cycle. He, the Most Great Manifestation. appeared in the Most Great Name and endured the greatest suffering in authoring the Most Great Revelation. which is the wellspring of the Most Great Peace. In our attempt to appreciate these matchless bounties. we recite the gem-like names of the Adored One. picked out as pearls from the veritable ocean of His Revelation. bestrewing them throughout our testimonial that they may lend an acceptable gleam to our expression of His glory and majesty.
King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Supreme Mediator. Most
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Ancient Beauty: He is the Well-Beloved of all worlds. We hall Him as the long-awalted Promised One. the Object of the adoration of the world. And we exclaim: “Hallowed be the Lord in Whose hand is the source of dominion!”
How grievously Baha'u'llah suffered to regenerate the world! Wrongly accused. imprisoned, beaten. chained, banished from country to country. betrayed, poisoned. strlpped of material possessions. and “at every moment tormented with a fresh torment”: such was the cruel reception that greeted the Everlasting Father. Hlm Who is the Possessor of all Names and Attributes. For two score years. until the end of His earthly days. He remained a prisoner and exile—persecuted unceasingly by the rulers of Persia and the Ottoman Empire, opposed relentlessly by a vicious and scheming clergl. neglected abjectly by other sovereigns to whom He addressed potent letters imparting to them that which. in His tmth—bearlng words. “Is the cause of the well—belng. the unity. the harmony. and the reconstruction of the world. and of the tranquillity of the nations." “My grief." He once lamented. "exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows.“
The voice halts for shame from continuing so deplorable a recitation, the heart is torn by mere thought of the Divine Target of such grief—grlef no ordinary mortal could endure. But lest we give way to feelings of gloom and distress. we take recourse in the tranquil calm He induces with such meaningful words as these: “We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation. so that the souls of men may be edlfled. and the Word of God be exalted." Thus, the Wronged One. patient beyond measure. preserved a majestic composure. revealing His true Self as the Merciful, the Loving. the Incomparable Friend. Concentrating His energies on the pivotal purpose of His Revelation, He transmuted His tribulations into instruments of redemption and summoned all peoples to the baxmer of unity.
N0 worldly power could thwart the purpose of the Most Exalted Pen. Through the copiousness of His writings. He poured upon the planet the healing waters of the Word of God
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renewed. Descending upon Him like a spring rain. His Revelation comprises some one hundred volumes—“volumes replete with unnumbered exhortations. revolutionizing principles. world-shaping laws and ordinances. dire warnings and portentous prophecies. with soul-upllftlng prayers and meditations, illuminating commentaries and interpretations. impassioned discourses and homilies, all interspersed with either addresses or references to kings, to emperors and to ministers. of both the East and the West. to ecclesiastics of divers denominations. and to leaders in the intellectual. political. literary. mystical, commercial and humanitarian spheres of human activity." Foremost among His Books is His Kitab-i-Aqdas. the charter of the future world civilization in which He has announced the Laws of God for this age. Our hearts thrill to the prospect that during the course of this centennial year. the annotated English translation of this Mother Book of Bahá’u’lláh's Revelation is to be published. We acknowledge with astonished joy the prolific legacy of this divine outpouring. And we exclajm: “Praised be Thou. Who art the Desire of the world, and thanks be to Thee. O Well-Beloved of the hearts of such as are devoted to Thee!"
Today. we bear witness to the further abundance of a peerless heritage. With the setting of the Sun of 831151. the Moon of His Covenant rose in reflected glory. lifting the darkness of a night of despair. and lighting the path to the unity of all humankind. In the fullness of its radiance stands the magnetic Figure of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. the beloved Son Whom Baha'u'llah designated as the Interpreter of His Word and Executive of His authority. and Whom He appointed the Centre of His Covenant. an office without parallel in all religious history.
We acknowledge the mysterious power of His wisdom._the illuminating potency of His words. the immortal example and unific character of His deeds. By His untirlng exertions the fame of the infant Cause was spread abroad, the design of its Administrative Order was completed, the World Centre of the Faith emerged into clear visibility. and the splendors of the Mountain of God. as alluded to in Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet of Carmel. began to be manifested. With profound gratitude for
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such evident blessings we reaffirm our loyalty to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. And we exclalrn: “Glorified be the All-Merciful. the Lord of Grace aboundingl"
As a result of the phenomenal effects of His Covenant. a world community has been raised up on an “unassallable foundation.“ The entire system of the Administrative Order originated by Bahá’u’lláh in His Most Holy Book has been erected. A vigorous network of local. national, continental and internah‘onaj institutions functions in exemplary harmony throughout the planet. Vitallzed and nurtured by His stupenv dous Revelation. watered by the precious blood of countless martyrs. and tended by the loving care of unnumbered. devoted servants. the Tree of the Cause has. in these hundred years. grown mightily. has put forth its far-stretching branches and borne its first and plentiful fruit.
Bahá’u’lláh found the world in a “strange sleep." But what a disturbance His coming has unloosedl The peoples of the earth had been separated. many parts of the human race socially and spiritually isolated. But the world of humanity today bears little resemblance to that which Bahá‘u'lláh left a century ago. Unbeknownst to the great majority. His influence permeates all living beings. Indeed. no domain of life remains unaffected. In the burgeoning energy, the magnified perspeCo fives, the heightened global consciousness; in the social and political turbulence. the fall of kingdoms. the emancipation of nations. the intermixture of cultures, the clamor for development: in the agitation over the extremes of wealth and poverty. the acute concern over the abuse of the environment. the leap of consciousness regarding the rights of women; in the growing tendency towards ecumenlsm. the increasing call for a new world order: in the astounding advances in the realms of sclence._technology, literature and the arts—in all this tumult. with its paradoxical manifestations of chaos and order, integration and disintegration. are the signs of His power as World Reformer. the proof of His claim as Divine Physician. the truth of His Word as the All-Knowing Counsellor.
Bahá’u’lláh wrote voluminously about the purpose of this mysterious force and its transformatlve effects. but the essence
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can be drawn from these few perspicuous words: “Through the movement of Our Pen of Glory We have, at the bidding of the Omnipotent Ordainer. breathed a new life into every human frame. and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this worldwide regeneration." And again: “A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the _peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive.” And yet again: “He Who is the Unconditioned is come. in the clouds of light, that He may quicken all created things with the breezes of His Name. the Most Merciful. and unify the world, and gather all men around this Table which hath been sent down from heaven.“
Let the denizens of the earth wake from their slumber at the resonances of His Name and arise from their confused dreams to embrace the clarity of the new Day: For “This is the King of Days, the Day that hath seen the coming of the Bestbeloved. Him Who through all eternity hath been acclaimed the Desire of the World“
Our thoughts turn back to the mourning time in 1892 when a vast number of residents from the surrounding area came to join His bereaved followers in lamenting the departure of the immortal Beloved. These were not adherents of His Cause and had no real understanding of His station, but the effect of His presence among them was such as to fill them with a grave sense of loss. Today. a century later. it is we. who identify ourselves with His community. Who have come in multitudinous array from the far comers of the earth to pay homage to the King of Glory. With us in spirit are the millions of His lovers scattered 'among tens of thousands of villages. towns and cities, themselves observing in their own localities this solemn anniversary, their hearts focused on the Primal Spot here at Bahjí.
And among us at this Point of Adoration are a number of the heroic souls from the celebrated company who earned the accolade Knight of Bahá‘u'lláh conferred upon them by Shoghi Effendi. Guardian of the Cause—this to signify their acts of daring and devotion as teachers of the Faith It is they who were in the vanguard during the triumphant Ten Year World
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Crusade. Their exploits. built upon the dramatic feats of the Heroic Age and the sacrifices of countless martyrs and heroes of the past, and following the trail blazed by earlier teachers of the Faith, realized the actual establishment of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh as a world religion.
Now, on this commemorative occasion. the Roll of Honor on which the names of the Knights have been inscribed is being deposited by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Kha’mum at the entrance door of the Most Holy Shrine in the spot designated by our beloved Guardian. This is both a symbol and a promise—a symbol registering the reality of a clear response, at a critical time. to the duty laid upon us by the Lord of Hosts to diffuse His teachings among all peoples; a promise that the commitment so dazzlingly displayed by these intrepid pioneers will be reaffirmed by generations of their successors. ensuring that the light of Bahá’u’lláh's Revelation. “shining in all its power and glory, will have suffused and enveloped the entire planet.”
This is also a mark of recognition of the power of the Hand of Omnipotence to turn gnats into eagles. His bounties embolden us. Broken-winged birds are we; yet. with His assurances resounding in our souls. we soar to ever greater heights in His service. “I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty!" He declares, benevolently adding: “I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight." How then can we fall?
We here make this vow: With a stin'ing history of divine support behind us and a clear vision of unfolding destiny before us. we move onward. renewed, reconsecrated. resolute. until the consciousness of every human being has been touched by the knowledge of God's triumphant Faith. And. intoning the expectant words of His Martyr-Herald. we exclaim: “Exalted be His glory, and magnified be His might. and sanctified be His holiness. and glorified be His grandeur. and lauded be His ways!”
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26 NOVEMBER 1992 To the Bahá’ís of the World
A full century has gone by since the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh was established and set in motion. And we extend to the members of His community our loving greetings as they are assembled today at the World Congress in New York and at auxiliary conferences on all continents. or as they otherwise participate in the observance of this centennial occasion.
We are particularly pleased that we have been afforded a special opportunity to pause for a moment, together with our fellow—believers. to gather our thoughts, to see how we have fared since 1892. and to consider where we are now headed. This enables us to engage in a symbolic act which by its very nature exemplifies the purpose of the Covenant—a Covenant intended by its divine Author to unite the races and nations of the earth.
Sublime emotions surge in our hearts as we survey the dramatic history and amazing progress of these one hundred years. At the time of the passing of Bahá’u’lláh. the Bahá’í community was contained within the borders of no more than fifteen countries. the vast majority of its members living in His native Iran. The community now embraces the entire planet. We rejoice at the spirit of unity which is evident in its steady consolidation through the workings of the Administrative Order to which the Covenant has given birth. Our cumulated experience has clearly demonstrated the efficacy of the Covenant. The genuine unity it induces greatly encourages our expectation that all of humanity can and will be united.
We have toiled to build a community at a period when the world has witnessed startling changes which have profoundly altered the character of society and plunged it into an unprecedented state of worry and confusion. Indeed. the world in its current condition has lost its bearings through the operation of forces it neither understands nor can control. It is a period in which great dynasties and empires have collapsed in rapid succession, in which powerful ideologies have captured the hearts
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of millions only to expire in infamy. in which two world wars wreaked havoc on civilized life as it was known at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In the wake of such horrendous disruptions. there have been unexampled advances in the realms of science. technolog and social organization; a veritable explosion of knowledge; and an even more remarkable burgeoning in the awakening and rise of masses of humanity which were previously presumed to be dormant. These masses are claiming their rightful places within the community of nations which has greatly expanded. With the simultaneous development of communications at the speed of light and transportation at the speed of sound. the world has contracted into a mere neighborhood in which people are instantly aware of each other's affairs and have immediate access to each other. And yet, even with such miraculous advances. with the emergence of international organizations, and with valiant attempts and brilliant successes at international cooperation. nations are at woeful odds with one another. people are convulsed by economic upheavals, races feel more alienated than before and are filled with mistrust. humiliation and fear.
Collateral with these changes has been the breakdown of institutions. religious and political. which traditionally functioned as the guideposts for the stability of society. Even the most resilient of these seem to be losing their credibility as they have become preoccupied with their own internal disorder. This calls attention to the emptiness of the moral landscape and the feeling of futility deranging personal life. Thoughtful commentators write apprehensively about the fall of culture and the consequent disappearance of values, the loss of the fullness of the inner life. a technological civilization facing an increasingly serious crisis. They write. moreover. of the human species as being at the end with its wisdom and being unable to control itself. of the need for divine wisdom and foresight. and of the human psyche as being far removed from recognizing this need.
These ominous comments reflect the universal consequences of a failed understanding as to the purpose of God for
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humankind. It is in this particular respect that the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh sheds new light; it refreshes our thoughts; it clarifies and expands our conceptions. His Teachings imbue us with the abundance of God’s love for His creatures; they impress upon us the indispensability of justice in human relav tions and emphasize the importance of adhering to principle in all matters: they inform us that human beings have been Ereated “to carry forward an ever—advancing civilization" and that the virtues that beflt the dignity of every person are: “forbearance. mercy. compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.”
As the members of our community have pursued their plan for teaching His Faith. they have grown to appreciate more adequately the purpose of the multifarious processes of change which have been at work during the course of the century. “Such simultaneous processes of rise and fall, of integration and of disintegration, of order and chaos. with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other. are," our Teachings tell us. “but aspects of a greater Plan. one and indivisible, whose Source is God. whose author is Bahá‘u'lláh. the theatre of whose operations is the entire planet. and whose ultimate objectives are the unity of the human race and the peace of all mankind.“
Disunity is the crux of the problems which so severely afflict the planet. It permeates attitudes in all departments of life. It is at the heart of all major conflicts between nations and peoples. More serious still. disunity is common in the relations between religions and within religions. vitiatlng the very sphitual and moral influence which it is their primary purpose to exert. “Should the lamp of religion be obscured," Bahá'u’lláh asserts. “chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness. of justice, of tranquillity and peace cease to shine."
In an elaboration of these dreadful consequences. our Teachings state that “when, as a result of human perversity, the light of religion is quenched in men's hearts a deplorable decline in the fortunes of humanity immediately sets in. bringing in its wake all the evils which a wayward soul is capable of revealing. The perversion of human nature. the
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degradation of human conduct. the corruption and dissolution of human institutions, reveal themselves. under such circumstances. in their worst and most revolting aspects. Human character is debased, confidence is shaken. the nerves of discipline are relaxed. the voice of human conscience is stilled. the sense of decency and shame is obscured. conceptions of duty. of solidarity. of reciprocity and loyalty are distorted. and the very feeling of peacefulness. of joy and of hope is gradually extinguished."
Such; unfortunately. is the state to which institutions and individuals have come in our time. Against this background the requirements of the Covenant assume even more critical importance than before. There can be no doubt that if our community is to cope with the situation, it must advance rapidly towards the next phase in its evolution. It will be a phase in which the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh must of necessity anticipate a deep encounter with the forces operating with such bewildering ferocity throughout the world. Let us. therefore. take this propitious occasion to review the covenantal arrangement which generates and sustains our actions.
The foundation of our belief rests on our recognition of the sovereignty of God. the Unknowable Essence. the Supreme Creator. and on our submission to His will as revealed for this age by Bahá’u’lláh. To accept the Messenger of God in His Day and to abide by His bidding are the two essential. inseparable duties which each soul was created to fulfil. One exercises these twin duties by one‘s own choice, and by so doing performs an act which may be regarded as the highest expression of free will with which every human being is endowed by an all-loving Creator. The vehicle in this resplendent age for the practical fulfillment of these duties is the Covenant of Bahá‘u'lláh. It is.the instrument by which belief in Him is translated into constructive deeds.
The oneness of humankind is the pivotal principle and ultimate goal of His mission. This principle means far more than the reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill among people: ”it implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society. a change such as the world has not yet
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experienced.“ The Covenant of Baha'u'llah embodies the spirit. instrumentallty and method to attain this essential goal. In addition to laying down. in His Book of Laws, the fundamentals for a new World Order. Bahá’u’lláh. in the Book of His Covenant, confirmed the appointment of His Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the interpreter of His Word and the Centre of His Covenant. As the interpreter. ‘Abdu'I-Baha became the living mouth of the Book. the expounder of the Word; as the Centre of the Covenant. He became the incorruptjble medium for applying the Word to practical measures {or the raising up of a new civilization. The Covenant Is. therefore. unique as a divine phenomenon. in that Baha'u'llah. further to conferring upon ‘Abdu‘I-Baha the necessary authority to fulfil the requirements of His singular office. vested in Him the virtues of perfection in personal and social behavior, that humanity may have an enduring model to emulate. In no annals of the past is there recorded such an arrangement for ensuring the realization of the purpose of the Manifestation of God.
This Covenant is the guarantee against schism: that is why those who occasionally attempt to create a cleavage In the community utterly fall in the long run. Similarly. the incessant persecution the community has been forced to endure for more than a century in the land of Baha'u'llah‘s birth has not succeeded in destroying its identity or undermining its organic unity. The glorious, ultimate effect of this arrangement will be to ensure the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, as promised in the Holy Books of old and as proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh Himself.
“The Day of the Promise is come.” He clearly announces. “and He Who is the Promised One loudly proclaimeth before all who are in heaven and all who are on earth: ‘Verily there Is none other God but He, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsistlngl' I swear by God! That which had been enshrined from eternity in the knowledge of God. the Knower of the seen and unseen. is revealed. Happy is the eye that seeth, and the face that turneth towards, the Countenance of God. the lord of all being."
Indeed. the coming of Bahá’u’lláh ushered the world into anew age. making possible the beginning of a wholly new
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relationship between humanity and its Supreme Creator. The charactenstjcs of this relationship are summed up in the Covenant inaugurated upon His passing a century ago. Its spiritual dynamic and cohesive power, its unifying principles and practical institutional provisions are a pattern for the healing of the ills afflicting our fractured societies and defective social systems. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh gives new meaning to humanity‘s checkered history; it imparts a fresh impulse to human striving. “Like unto the artery," ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states. it “beats and pulsates in the body of the world.” The pervasive influence it exerts is at the heart of the derangement of human affairs; it drives the accelerating transition from the old order to the new World Order envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh. “Soon.” He writes. “will the present day Order be rolled up. and a new one spread out in its stead.” And He explains: “The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this Most Great. this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique. this wondrous System. the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.”
Let those seriously concerned about the state and fate of the world give due attention to the claims of Bahá’u’lláh. Let them realize that the storms battering at the foundations of society will not be stilled unless and until spiritual principles are actively engaged in the search for solutions to social problems. Let us. the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, redouble our effort in the exercise of our sacred duty to acquaint all humanity with the animating purpose of the world-wide Law of Bahá’u’lláh. Let them discover that. “Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations of society. it seeks to broaden its basis. to remold its institutions in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing world." Let us. with patience and humility, respond to challenging or skeptical questions while unfolding the purposes of this Law. Let them know that it “can conflict with no legitimate allegiances. nor can it undermine essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts. nor to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the evils of
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excessive centralization are to be avoided.”
Let us by word and example show that “it does not ignore. nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical origins. of climate. of history. of language and tradition. of thought and habit. that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world." Finally. let them appreciate that “it calls for a wider loyalty. for a larger aspiration than any that has animated ‘the human race": that "it insists upon the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims of a unified World": that “it repudiates excessive centralization on one hand. and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the other”: that "its watchword is unity in diversity."
It is especially noteworthy that coincidental with this Bahá’í Holy Year are the commemorations of other worldshaklng occurrences which, centuries ago, commenced processes destined to attain their glorious consummation in the Promised Day of God. The ultimate resolution of the profound issues to which they gave rise, and which have ripened with the passage of time, is discernible in the eventual realization of the world-embracing System of Bahá’u’lláh.
Our thoughts turn to the history of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's epic journey to the West and particularly to North America where. in New York, He disclosed to His western disciples the implications of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. It was. in a sense, an act of renewal. prospective of the consolidation of the union of the Old and New Worlds into one global entity. Surnamed by Him “City of the Covenant," New York resonates with the effects of that experience of eighty years ago. Then it was still the major entryway to the “Land of Promise” for millions of people seeking new horizons. Now it is recognized as a gathering place for the leaders of nations. an international venue for efforts at achieving unity in the political realm. Its very atmosphere vibrates with the hopes of a world seeking to set its affairs in order. Today. the hearts of the Bahá’ís throughout the earth are focused on this City of the Covenant wherein many thousands of their fellow-believers. from all parts of the planet. have assembled in the second Bahá’í World Congress. The presence there of such a widely varied representation of the human race
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is an affirmation of the unific power of the Covenant which the event was convened to celebrate.
In this season of beginnings and of the commemorations of beginnings. we Bahá’ís set for ourselves a new measure of effort. one more daring and persistent than before. May our words proclaim, and our deeds demonstrate, that there is only one God. only one religion. only one race. And few though we be, may we thus fulfil our duty towards Bahá’u’lláh. towards His Covenant. and, indeed. towards all humankind.
5 MARCH 1993 To the Bahá’ís of the World
Dearly loved Friends.
The Kitab-i-Aqdas—the Book described in such exalted terms by the Guardian of the Cause of God as “that priceless treasury enshrining for all time the brightest emanations of the mind of Bahá’u’lláh. the Chafter of His World Order, the chief repository of His laws, the Harbinger of His Covenant. the Pivotal Work containing some of His noblest exhortatlons. weightiest pronouncements, and portentous prophecies. and revealed during the full tlde of His tribulations. at a time when the rulers of the earth had definitely forsaken Him"—this Most Holy Book. we have the honor to announce, will. in a copiously annotated English translation. be released to the Community of Baha at Naw-Rúz.
Bahá’u’lláh’s own designations of the Book—the “Unerring Balance.“ the “Straight Path.” the “quickener of mankind." the “sourpe of true felicity"—indicate its phenomenal importance. an importance which staggers the mind when viewed in light of the realization that this Book is, in the words of Shoghi Effendi. the "prlnclpal repository of that Law which the Prophet Isaiah had anticipated, and which the writer of the Apocalypse had described as the 'new heaven' and the ‘new earth.‘ as ‘the Tabernacle of God.‘ as the ‘Holy City.‘ as the 'Brlde,‘ the ‘New
.___-_ t
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Jerusalem coming down from God'.” Such metaphors of hope have been recited from sacred scriptures down the ages. have fired the imagination and excited the expectations of unnumbered generations. and now. at long last. in this new Dispensation. have been given tangible form by the Promised One of All Ages in this Mother Book of His Revelation.
The publication of the Book in English satisfies a major goal of the Six Year Plan. But even beyond this. it initiates the fulfillment of a prospect voiced by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Who anticipated its publication in various languages; it realizes an intention cherished by Shoghi Effendi, who had himself translated substantial portions of it into English which he diffused through his letters and in his compilations of Bahá'u’lláh's Writings. and who had also. “as an essential prelude to the eventual translation and publication of its entire text." initiated steps in 1955 for the preparation of a Synopsis and Codification of the Laws of the Kitib—i-Aqdas. This was a task on which he made considerable progress and which was completed by the Universal House of Justice in 1973, on the hundredth anniversary of the revelation of the Book which occurred. as Shoghi Effendi confirmed. "soon after Bahá’u’lláh had been transferred to the house of ‘Udi Khammér (circa 1873). at a time when He was still encompassed by the tribulations that had afflicted Him, through the acts committed by His enemies and the professed adherents of His Faith."
The accessibility to Western readers of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in full authorized text. for the first time in one of their major languages. enormously extends the sphere of its influence, opening wider the door to a vast process of individual and community development which must certainly exert an increasingly powerful, transformative effect on peoples and nations as the Book is translated further into other languages. That the English edition of this highly treasured and incalculably potent work should appear now amid the welter of a world at odds with itself is a demonstration of confidence in the ultimate emergence of a peaceful. civilized. global society. That it should be published during the period of the centenary of both the Ascension of its divine Author and the inauguration of His
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Covenant amplifies the striking impact. already felt. of the Holy Year which marks so important an anniversary.
A Book of such indescribable holiness is itself a symbol of the incomparable greatness of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh and is. indeed. a potent reminder of the high respect which is due to all that has flowed from His prodigious. truth-bearing pen. May the friends of God ever be mindful of its exalted rank among the sacred texts of the Faith; treasure it as the bread of life; regard possession of it as a sacred honor. as a priceless legacy from 'the Pen of the Most High, as a source of God's greatest bounty to His creatures; place their whole trust in its provisions: recite its verses; study its contents: adhere to its exhortations: and thus transform their lives in accordance with the divine standard.
Let us rejoice. Let us be filled with the felicitous spirit evoked in the Blessed Beauty‘s own announcement of the Mother Book of His Dispensation when He said: “We announce unto everyone the joyful tidings concerning that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book—a Book from above whose horizon the day-star of My commandments shineth upon every observer and every observed one." May we be such upholders of its laws and principles as to deserve His gloriously promised benediction: “Blessed those who peruse it. Blessed those who apprehend it. Blessed those who meditate upon it. Blessed those who ponder its meaning. So vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Ere long will its sovereign power. its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth. Verily. thy God is the AllKnowing. the Alanormed.“
