Unrestrained as the Wind/The distinctive Bahá’í life

The distinctive Bahd’i life 24

3 The distinctive Baha’i life

The call to spiritual distinction

1. O loved ones of ‘Abdu'1-Baha!

Man’s life has its springtime and is endowed with marvelous glory. The period of youth is characterized by strength and vigor and stands out as the choicest time in human life. Therefore you should strive day and night so that endowed with heavenly strength, inspired with brilliant motives and aided by His celestial power and heavenly grace and confirmation, you may become the ornaments of the world of humanity, and preeminent among those who are initiated into true learning and the love of God. You must be distinguished amidst men by your sanctity and detachment, loftiness of purpose, magnanimity, determination, noble- mindedness, tenacity, the elevation of your aims and your spiritual qualities; that you may become the means of exaltation and glory for the Cause of God and the dawning places of His heavenly bestowals; that you may conduct yourselves in conformity with the counsels and exhortations of the Blessed Beauty—may my life be offered up for His loved ones—and by reflecting Baha'i qualities and attributes, you may stand out distinguished from others. ‘Abdu’l-Baha ea- gerly anticipates that each one of you may become even as a fearless lion moving in the pastures of human perfection and a musk-laden breeze wafting over the meads of virtue.

The glory of glories rest upon you.

‘Abdu'l-Bahd, O God, My God . . . 36 �[Page 22]22 THE DISTINCTIVE BAHA'I LIFE

2. I desire distinction for you. The Baha'is must be distin- guished from others of humanity. But this distinction must not depend upon wealth—that they should become more affluent than other people. I do not desire for you financial distinction. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire; not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. For you I de- sire spiritual distinction—that is, you must become eminent and distinguished in morals. In the love of God you must become distinguished from all else. You must become distin- guished for loving humanity, for unity and accord, for love and justice. In brief, you must become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world—for faithfulness and sincer- ity, for justice and fidelity, for firmness and steadfastness, for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world, for love toward every human being, for unity and accord with all people, for removing prejudices and promoting international peace. Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and for acquiring the bestowals of God. I desire this distinction for you. This must be the point of distinction among you. Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace 190

3. We sincerely hope that the forefront of the volunteers, the Baha’i youth will arise for the sake of God and, through their driving force, their ability to endure inhospitable and arduous conditions, and their contentment with the bare necessities of life, they will offer an inspiring example to the peoples and communities they set out to serve, will exert an abiding influence on their personal lives, and will promote with distinction the vital interests of God’s Cause at this crucial stage in the fortunes of the Plan.

The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 3/25/75, in Lights of Guidance 514

4. The youth today must show forth a greater maturity than any previous generation, for they are called upon to pass through perhaps the gravest crisis in the history of �[Page 23]The importance of a good character 23

the world, and they must meet their destiny with faith, steadfastness, assurance and poise. Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in The Baha'i World 12:562

The importance of a good character

5. A good character is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and the radiance thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted as a jewel among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs depend upon it. A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to the Straight Path and are led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the Concourse on High. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah 36

6. The most vital duty, in this day, is to purify your characters, to correct your manners, and improve your conduct. The beloved of the Merciful must show forth such character and conduct among His creatures, that the fragrance of their holiness may be shed upon the whole world, and may quicken the dead, inasmuch as the pur- pose of the Manifestation of God and the dawning of the limitless lights of the Invisible is to educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man.... ‘Abdu'l-Baha, qtd. in The Advent of Divine Justice 26

7. He hopes that you will develop into Baha’is in character as well as in belief. The whole purpose of Baha'u'llah is that we should become a new kind of people, people who are upright, kind, intelligent, truthful, and honest and who live according to His great laws laid down for this new epoch in man’s development. To call ourselves Baha'is is not enough; �[Page 24]24 THE DISTINCTIVE BAHA'I LIFE

our inmost being must become ennobled and enlightened through living a Baha’i life.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 8/25/44 to Louhelen School Junior Youth Session, U.S.A., in The Baha'i Life 10

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The responsibilities of Band’i youth

8. This Cause, although it embraces with equal esteem people of all ages, has a special message and mission for the youth of your generation. It is their charter for their future, their hope, their guarantee of better days to come.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 6/16/42 to individual believer, in Baha'i Youth iii

9. The present condition of the world—its economic insta- bility, social dissensions, political dissatisfaction and in- ternational distrust—should awaken the youth from their slumber and make them enquire what the future is going to bring. It is surely they who will suffer most if some calamity sweep over the world. They should therefore open their eyes to the existing conditions, study the evil forces that are at play and then with a concerted effort arise and bring about the necessary reforms—reforms that shall con- tain within their scope the spiritual as well as social and political phases of human life.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 3/13/32 to individual believer, in Baha'i Youth 3

10. He urges you to make up your minds to do great, great deeds for the Faith; the condition of the world is steadily growing worse, and your generation must provide the saints, heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years. With dedication and will power you can rise to great heights!

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 10/2/51 to Junior Youth Session, U.S.A., in Baha’i News, no. 253 (Mar. 1952) 1 �[Page 25]Meeting the challenge 25

Meeting the challenge

11. The responsibility of young believers is very great, as they must not only fit themselves to inherit the work of the older Baha'is and carry on the affairs of the Cause in general, but the world which lies ahead of them—as prom- ised by Baha’u'llah—will be a world chastened by its sufferings, ready to listen to His Divine Message at last; and consequently a very high character will be expected of the exponents of such a religion. To deepen their knowledge, to perfect themselves in the Baha'i standards of virtue and upright conduct, should be the paramount duty of every young Baha’.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 6/6/41 to the Bahda't youth of

Bombay, in The Importance of Deepening 43

12. For any person, whether Baha'i or not, his youthful years are those in which he will make many decisions which will set the course of his life. In these years he is most likely to choose his life’s work, complete his education, begin to earn his own living, marry, and start to raise his own family. Most important of all, it is during this period that the mind is most questing and that the spiritual values that will guide the person’s future behavior are adopted. These factors present Baha'i youth with their greatest opportunities, their greatest challenges, and their greatest tests—opportunities to truly apprehend the teachings of their Faith and to give them to their contemporaries, challenges to overcome the pressures of the world and to provide leadership for their and succeeding generations, and tests enabling them to exemplify in their lives the high moral standards set forth in the Baha'i writings. Indeed, the Guardian wrote of the Baha'i youth that it is they “who can contribute so decisively to the virility, the purity, and the driving force of the life of the Baha'i community, and upon whom must depend the future orientation of its destiny, and the complete unfold- ment of the potentialities with which God has endowed it.”

The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 6/10/66 to Baha'i youth in every land, in Wellspring of Guidance 92-93 �[Page 26]26 THE DISTINCTIVE BAHA'I LIFE

Transforming society by individual example

13. Arise, O people, and, by the power of God’s might, resolve to gain the victory over your own selves, that haply the whole earth may be freed and sanctified from its servitude to the gods of its idle fancies—gods that have inflicted such loss upon, and are responsible for the mis- ery of, their wretched worshipers. These idols form the obstacle that impedeth man in his efforts to advance in the path of perfection. We cherish the hope that the Hand of Divine power may lend its assistance to mankind, and deliver it from its state of grievous abasement. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah 93

14. Our greatest efforts must be directed towards detach- ment from the things of the world; we must strive to become more spiritual, more luminous, to follow the coun- sel of the Divine Teaching, to serve the cause of unity and true equality, to be merciful, to reflect the love of the Highest on all men, so that the light of the Spirit shall be apparent in all our deeds, to the end that all humanity shall be united, the stormy sea thereof calmed, and all rough waves disappear from off the surface of life’s ocean henceforth unruffled and peaceful. Then will the New Jerusalem be seen by mankind, who will enter through its gates and receive the Divine Bounty. ‘Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks 87

15. If we could perceive the true reality of things we could see that the greatest of all battles raging in the world today is the spiritual battle. If the believers like yourself, young and eager and full of life, desire to win laurels for true and undying heroism, then let them join in the spiritual battle—whatever their physical occupation may be—which involves the very soul of man. The hardest and the noblest task in the world today is to be a true Baha’i; this requires that we defeat not only the current evils prevailing all over the world, but the weaknesses, attachments to the past, �[Page 27]Aspects of Bahd’i character 27

prejudices, and selfishnesses that may be inherited and acquired within our own characters; that we give forth a shining and incorruptible example to our fellow-men.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 4/5/42 to individual believer, in Excellence in All Things 11

Aspects of Bahd’i character

16. Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah 285

17. O ye lovers of this wronged one! Cleanse ye your eyes, so that ye behold no man as different from yourselves. See ye no strangers; rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness. And in this new and wondrous age, the Holy Writings say that we must be at one with every people; that we must see neither harshness nor injustice, neither malevolence, nor �[Page 28]28 THE DISTINCTIVE BAHA'I LIFE

hostility, nor hate, but rather turn our eyes toward the heaven of ancient glory. For each of the creatures is a sign of God, and it was by the grace of the Lord and His power that each did step into the world; therefore they are not strangers, but in the family; not aliens, but friends, and to be treated as such.

Wherefore must the loved ones of God associate in affectionate fellowship with stranger and friend alike, showing forth to all the utmost loving-kindness, disre- garding the degree of their capacity, never asking whether they deserve to be loved. In every instance let the friends be considerate and infinitely kind. Let them never be defeated by the malice of the people, by their aggression and their hate, no matter how intense. If others hurl their darts against you, offer them milk and honey in return; if they poison your lives, sweeten their souls; if they injure you, teach them how to be comforted; if they inflict a wound upon you, bea balm to their sores; if they sting you, hold to their lips a refreshing cup.

Abdu 'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha 24

18. Act in accordance with the counsels of the Lord: that is, rise up in such wise, and with such qualities, as to endow the body of this world with a living soul, and to bring this young child, humanity, to the stage of adult- hood. So far as ye are able, ignite a candle of love in every meeting, and with tenderness rejoice and cheer ye every heart. Care for the stranger as for one of your own; show to alien souls the same loving kindness ye bestow upon your faithful friends. Should any come to blows with you, seek to be friends with him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve unto his sores; should any taunt and mock at you, meet him with love. Should any heap his blame upon you, praise ye him; should he offer you a deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and should he threaten your life, grant him a remedy that will heal him evermore. Should he be pain itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be ye his roses and sweet herbs. Perchance such ways and words from you will make �[Page 29]Aspects of Bahd’i character 29

this darksome world turn bright at last; will make this dusty earth turn heavenly, this devilish prison place be- come a royal palace of the Lord—so that war and strife will pass and be no more, and love and trust will pitch their tents on the summits of the world. Such is the essence of God's admonitions; such in sum are the teachings for the Dispensation of Baha. ‘Abdu 'l-Bahd, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha 34

19. It is primarily through the potency of noble deeds and character, then by the power of exposition and proofs that the friends of God should demonstrate to the world the fact that what has been promised by God is bound to happen, that it is already taking place and that the divine glad- tidings are clear, evident and complete. Indeed, unless some distinguished souls set foot in the arena of service and shine forth resplendent in the assemblage of men, the task of vindicating the truth of this Cause before the eyes of the enlightened men of the world would be a formidable one. However, should the friends become the embodiments of goodly character and virtue, words and arguments would not be necessary. Their very deeds would serve as eloquent testimony and their noble conduct would ensure the preservation, integrity and glory of the Cause of God.

Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 12/19/23 to the Baha'is of the East, in The Baha'i Life 1-2