Bahá’í World/Volume 7/Excerpts from the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
EXCERPTS FROM THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
ALL-PRAISE to Him Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary of His Most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice; Who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-glorious Faith, through the aid of men whom the slander of the slanderer affects not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet. Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree, grown out, blest, tender, verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy Trees; the most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from out the Twin Surging Seas; upon the offshoots of the Tree of Holiness, the twigs of the Celestial Tree, they that in the Day of the Great Dividing have stood fast and firm in the Covenant; upon the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God that have diffused widely the Divine Fragrances, declared His Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His Law, detached themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in the very hearts and souls of His servants; upon them that have believed, rested assured, stood steadfast in His Covenant and followed the Light that after my passing shineth from the Dayspring of Divine Guidance—for behold! he is the blest and sacred bough that hath branched out from the Twin Holy Trees. Well is it with him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind.
O ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest
of all things is the protection of the True
Faith of God, the preservation of His Law,
the safeguarding of His Cause and service
unto His Word. Ten thousand souls have
shed streams of their sacred blood in this
path, their precious lives they offered
in sacrifice unto Him, hastened wrapt in holy
ecstasy unto the glorious field of martyrdom,
upraised the Standard of God’s Faith and
writ with their life-blood upon the Tablet of
the world the verses of His Divine Unity.
The sacred breast of His Holiness, the
Exalted One (may my life be a sacrifice unto
Him), was made a target to many a dart of
woe, and in Mázindarán, the Blessed feet of
the Abhá Beauty (may my life be offered up
for His loved ones) were so grievously
scourged as to bleed and be sore wounded.
His neck also was put into captive chains
and His feet made fast in the stocks. In
every hour, for a period of fifty years, a new
trial and calamity befell Him and fresh
afflictions and cares beset Him. One of them:
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after having suffered
intense vicissitudes, He
was made homeless and a wanderer and fell a
victim to still new vexations and troubles.
In ‘Iráq, the Day-Star of the world was so
exposed to the wiles of the people of malice
as to be eclipsed in splendor. Later on He
was sent an exile to the Great City
(Constantinople) and thence to the Land of
Mystery (Adrianople), whence, grievously
wronged, He was eventually transferred to
the Most Great Prison (‘Akká). He Whom
the world hath wronged (may my life be
offered up for His loved ones) was four times
banished from city to city, till
at last condemned to perpetual
confinement, He was
incarcerated in this Prison, the prison of
highway robbers, of brigands and of
manslayers. All this is but
one of the trials that
have afflicted the Blessed Beauty, the rest
being even as grievous as this.
According to the direct and sacred command of God we are forbidden to utter slander, are commanded to show forth peace and amity, are exhorted to rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and harmony with all the kindreds and peoples of the world. We must obey and be the well-wishers of the governments of the land, regard disloyalty unto a just king as disloyalty to God Himself and wishing evil to the government a transgression of the Cause of God.
O God, my God! Thou seest this wronged servant of Thine, held fast in the talons of ferocious lions, of ravening wolves, of bloodthirsty beasts. Graciously assist me, through my love for Thee, that I may drink deep of the chalice that brimmeth over with faithfulness to Thee and is filled with Thy bountiful Grace; so that, fallen upon the dust, I may sink prostrate and senseless whilst my vesture is dyed crimson with my blood. This is my wish, my heart’s desire, my hope, my pride, my glory. Grant, O Lord my God, and my Refuge, that in my last hour, my end, may even as musk shed its fragrance of glory! Is there a bounty greater than this? Nay, by Thy Glory! I call Thee to witness that no day passeth but that I quaff my fill from this cup, so grievous are the misdeeds wrought by them that have broken the Covenant, kindled discord, showed their malice, stirred sedition in the land and dishonored Thee amidst Thy servants. Lord! Shield Thou from these Covenant-breakers the mighty Stronghold of Thy Faith and protect Thy secret Sanctuary from the onslaught of the ungodly. Thou art in truth the Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious, the Strong.
O God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the evils of self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy loving kindness from all rancor, hate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy Cause and, safe from the darts of doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy glorious Signs, illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed from the Dayspring of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thine all-swaying power that cometh from Thy Realm of Glory. Thou art the All—Bountiful, the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious!
O ye that stand fast in the Covenant!
When the hour cometh that this wronged
and broken-winged bird will have taken
flight unto the celestial concourse, when it
will have hastened to the Realm
of the Unseen and its mortal
frame will have been
either lost or hidden neath the dust,
it is incumbent upon the Afnán, that are steadfast
in the Covenant of God, and have branched
from the Tree of Holiness, the
Hands (pillars) of the Cause of
God (the glory of the
Lord rest upon them), and all the friends and
loved ones, one and all to bestir themselves
and arise with heart and soul
and in one accord, to diffuse
the sweet savors of God, to
teach His Cause and to promote His Faith.
It behooveth them not to rest for a moment,
neither to seek repose. They must disperse
themselves in every land, pass by every clime
and travel throughout all regions. Bestirred,
without rest and steadfast to the end they
must raise in every land the triumphal cry
“O Thou the Glory of Glories!”
(Ya-Bahá-u’l-Abhá), must achieve
renown in the
world wherever they go, must burn brightly
even as a candle in every meeting and must
kindle the flame of Divine love
in every assembly; that the light
of truth may rise resplendent
in the midmost heart of the world,
that throughout the East and throughout
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the West a vast
concourse may gather under
the shadow of the Word of God, that the
sweet savors of holiness may be diffused, that
faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled
with the Divine spirit and souls be made
heavenly.
In these days, the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head corner-stone of the foundation itself. This wronged servant has spent his days and nights in promoting the Cause and urging the peoples to service. He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause of God was noised abroad in the world and the celestial strains from the Abhá Kingdom roused the East and the West. The beloved of God must also follow the same example. This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to the Threshold of Bahá!
The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves of self and passion and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide and engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the Divine Guidance, till at last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth and even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that Beloved One of God. Finally in various lands they suffered glorious martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps!
O my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsán (Branches), the Afnán (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abhá Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi—the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness—as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He is the expounder of the words of God and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants.
The sacred and youthful branch,
the guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the
Universal House of Justice, to be universally
elected and established, are both under the
care and protection of the Abhá
Beauty, under the shelter
and unerring guidance of His
Holiness, the Exalted One (may my life be
offered up for them both). Whatsoever they
decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not,
neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God;
whoso rebelleth against him and against
them hath rebelled against God;
whoso opposeth him hath opposed God;
whoso contendeth with them
hath contended with
God; whoso disputeth with him
hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath
denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath
disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth,
separateth himself and turneth aside from him
hath in truth deviated, separated himself and
turned aside from God. May the wrath, the
fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest
upon him! The mighty stronghold
shall remain impregnable and safe
through obedience to him who
is the guardian of the Cause
of God. It is incumbent upon
the members of the House of
Justice, upon all the
Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause
of God to show their obedience,
submissiveness and subordination
unto the guardian of the Cause
of God, to turn unto him
and be lowly before him. He that opposeth
him hath opposed the True One, will make a
breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His
word and will become a manifestation of the
Center of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the
days after the ascension (of Bahá’u’lláh) be
repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed
haughty and rebellious and with Divine
Unity for his excuse deprived himself and
perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt
every vainglorious one that
purposeth dissension and discord
will not openly declare
his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure
gold, would he seize upon divers measures
and various pretexts that he may separate the
gathering of the people of Bahá. My object
is to show that the Hands of the Cause of
God must be ever watchful and so soon as
they find anyone beginning to oppose and
protest against the guardian of the Cause of
God cast him out from the congregation of
the people of Bahá and in no wise accept any
excuse from him. How often hath
grievous[Page 258]
error been
disguised in the garb of truth,
that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the
hearts of men!
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the first-born of the guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words:—“The child is the secret essence of its sire,” that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he (the guardian of the Cause of God), choose another branch to succeed him.
The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number, nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the guardian of the Cause of God. The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor. This assent must be given in such wise as the assenting and dissenting voices may not be distinguished (secret ballot).
O friends! The Hands of the Cause of God must be nominated and appointed by the guardian of the Cause of God. All must be under his shadow and obey his command. Should any, within or without the company of the Hands of the Cause of God, disobey and seek division, the wrath of God and His vengeance will be upon him, for he will have caused a breach in the true Faith of God.
The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.
This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction of the guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that causeth all the universe to be illumined. To disregard, though it be for a moment, this absolute command which is binding upon everyone, is in no wise permitted, that the existent world may become even as the Abhá Paradise, that the surface of the earth may become heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst peoples, kindreds, nations and governments may disappear, that all the dwellers on earth may become one people and one race, that the world may become even as one home. Should differences arise they shall be amicably and conclusively settled by the Supreme Tribunal, that shall include members from all the governments and peoples of the world.
O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God’s grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindliness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and loving-kindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality may manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their share and portion at His heavenly board. In like manner, the affections and loving-kindness of the servants of the One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted.
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Wherefore, O my
loving friends! Consort
with all the peoples, kindreds and religions of
the world with the utmost truthfulness,
uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will
and friendliness; that all the world of being
may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the
grace of Bahá, that ignorance, enmity, hate
and rancor may vanish from the world and
the darkness of estrangement amidst
the peoples and kindreds of
the world may give way
to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples
and nations be unfaithful to you show your
fidelity unto them, should they be unjust
toward you show justice towards them,
should they keep aloof from you attract
them to yourself, should they show
their enmity be friendly towards them, should they
poison your lives sweeten their souls, should
they inflict a wound upon you be a salve to
their sores. Such are the attributes of the
sincere! Such are the attributes of the
truthful.
And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God’s faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal House of Justice, that is, in all countries, a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one. Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead. This House of Justice enacteth the laws and the government enforceth them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body so that through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon you to be submissive to all monarchs that are just and show your fidelity to every righteous king. Serve ye the sovereigns of the world with utmost truthfulness and loyalty. Show obedience unto them and be their well-wishers. Without their leave and permission do not meddle with political affairs, for disloyalty to the just sovereign is disloyalty to God himself.
This is my counsel and the commandment of God unto you. Well is it with them that act accordingly.
O dearly beloved friends! I am now in
very great danger and the hope of even an
hour’s life is lost to me. I am
thus constrained to write these
lines for the protection of the
Cause of God, the preservation of
His Law, the safeguarding of His Word, and
the safety of His Teachings. By the Ancient
Beauty! This wronged one hath in no wise
borne nor doth he bear a grudge against any
one; towards none doth he entertain
any ill-feeling and uttereth no word save for the
good of the world. My supreme obligation,
however, of necessity, prompteth me to
guard and preserve the Cause of God. Thus,
with the greatest regret, I counsel
you saying:—“Guard ye the Cause of God, protect
His law and have the utmost fear
of discord. This is the foundation
of the belief of
the people of Bahá (may my life be offered
up for them).” “His Holiness, the Exalted
One (the Báb), is the Manifestation of the
Unity and Oneness of God and the
Forerunner of the Ancient Beauty.
His Holiness the
Abhá Beauty (may my life be a sacrifice for
His steadfast friends) is the
Supreme Manifestation of God
and the Dayspring of His
Most Divine Essence. All others are servants
unto Him and do His bidding.” Unto the
Most Holy Book every one must turn and all
that is not expressly recorded therein must
be referred to the Universal House
of Justice. That which this body,
whether unanimously [Page 260]
or by a majority doth carry, that is
verily the Truth and the Purpose of God
himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is
verily of them that love discord, hath shown
forth malice and turned away from the Lord
of the Covenant. By this House is meant
that Universal House of Justice which is to
be elected from all countries, that is, from
those parts in the East and West where the
loved ones are to be found, after the manner
of the customary elections in
Western countries such as those of England.
It is incumbent upon these members (of the Universal House of Justice) to gather in a certain place and deliberate upon all problems which have caused difference, questions that are obscure and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book. Whatsoever they decide has the same effect as the Text itself. And inasmuch as this House of Justice hath power to enact laws that are not expressly recorded in the Book and bear upon daily transactions, so also it hath power to repeal the same. Thus for example, the House of Justice enacteth today a certain law and enforceth it, and a hundred years hence, circumstances having profoundly changed and the conditions having altered, another House of Justice will then have power, according to the exigencies of the time, to alter that law. This it can do because that law formeth no part of the Divine Explicit Text. The House of Justice is both the Initiator and the Abrogator of its own laws.
And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles of the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the Covenant-breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted in the past. O friends! It behooveth you to call to mind with tenderness the trials of His Holiness, the Exalted One and show your fidelity to the Ever-Blest Beauty. The utmost endeavor must be exerted lest all these woes, trials and afflictions, all this pure and sacred blood that hath been shed so profusely in the Path of God, may prove to be in vain.
O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive with all your heart to shield the Cause of God from the onslaught of the insincere, for souls such as these cause the straight to become crooked and all benevolent efforts to produce contrary results.
O God, my God! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have declared conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and set forth clearly all things unto them, that they may watch over Thy Faith, guard Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law. Thou art, verily, the All-knowing, the All-wise!
Whosoever and whatsoever meeting becometh a hindrance to the diffusion of the Light of Faith, let the loved ones give them counsel and say: “Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift of Teaching. It draweth unto us the Grace of God and is our first obligation. Of such a gift how can we deprive ourselves? Nay, our lives, our goods, our comforts, our rest, we offer them all as a sacrifice for the Abhá Beauty and teach the Cause of God.” Caution and prudence, however, must be observed even as recorded in the Book. The veil must in no wise be suddenly rent asunder. The Glory of Glories rest upon you.
O ye the faithful loved ones of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá! It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi, the twig that hath branched from and the fruit given forth by the two hallowed and Divine Lote Trees, that no dust of despondency and sorrow may strain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spirituality, and may grow to become even as a fruitful tree.
For he is, after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the guardian of the Cause of God, the Afnán, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the beloved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of Bahá’u’lláh) advance a pretext, raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of false interpretation. To
The Shrine of the Báb, surrounded by gardens, on Mt. Carmel, and a general view of Haifa and the port. In the foreground of the hills can be seen the plain of Esdraelon of Biblical mention.
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none is given
the right to put forth his own
opinion or express his particular convictions.
All must seek guidance and turn unto the
Center of the Cause and the
House of Justice. And he that
turneth unto whatsoever
else is indeed in grievous error.
The Glory of Glories rest upon you.
Let no one, while this System is still in its infancy, misconceive its character, belittle its significance or misrepresent its purpose. The bedrock on which this Administrative Order is founded is God’s immutable Purpose for mankind in this day. The Source from which it derives its inspiration is no one less than Bahá’u’lláh Himself. Its shield and defender are the embattled hosts of the Abhá Kingdom. Its seed is the blood of no less than twenty thousand martyrs who have offered up their lives that it may be born and flourish. The axis round which its institutions revolve are the authentic provisions of the “Will and Testament” of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Its guiding principles are the truths which He Who is the unerring Interpreter of the teachings of our Faith has so clearly enunciated in His public addresses throughout the West. The laws that govern its operation and limit its functions are those which have been expressly ordained in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The seat round which its spiritual, its humanitarian and administrative activities will cluster are the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár and its Dependencies. The pillars that sustain its authority and buttress its structure are the twin institutions of the Guardianship and of the Universal House of Justice. The central, the underlying aim which animates it is the establishment of the New World Order as adumbrated by Bahá’u’lláh. The methods it employs, the standard it inculcates, incline it to neither East nor West, neither Jew nor Gentile, neither rich nor poor, neither white nor colored. Its watchword is the unification of the human race; its standard the “Most Great Peace”; its consummation the advent of that golden millennium—the Day when the kingdoms of this world shall have become the Kingdom of God Himself, the Kingdom of Bahá’u’lláh.—SHOGHI EFFENDI. ("The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” pages 64 and 65.)
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