• junior youth

    junior youth

    “The rapid spread of the programme for the spiritual empowerment of junior youth is yet another expression of cultural advance in the Bahá’í community. While global trends project an image of this age group as problematic, lost in the throes of tumultuous physical and emotional change, unresponsive and self-consumed, the Bahá’í community—in the language it…

  • fishing

    fishing

    “Peter, the chief of the apostles, used to divide the proceeds of his fishing into seven parts, and when, having taken one part for each day’s use, he arrived at the seventh portion, he knew it was the Sabbath day. Consider this! and then think of his future position; to what glory he attained because…

  • atop

    atop

    “On the outspread tablet of this world, ye are the verses of His singleness; and atop lofty palace towers, ye are the banners of the Lord. In His bowers are ye the blossoms and sweet-smelling herbs, in the rose garden of the spirit the nightingales that utter plaintive cries. Ye are the birds that soar…

  • burst

    burst

    O Thou pure God! Let these saplings which have sprouted by the stream of Thy guidance become fresh and verdant through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy tender mercy; cause them to be stirred by the gentle winds wafting from the meads of Thy oneness and suffer them to be revived through the rays…

  • unfurl

    unfurl

    “True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns—the shining exemplars of devotion and determination—shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the…

  • imaginings

    imaginings

    “The individual should, prior to engaging in the study of any subject, ask himself what its uses are and what fruit and result will derive from it. If it is a useful branch of knowledge, that is, if society will gain important benefits from it, then he should certainly pursue it with all his heart.…

  • poison

    poison

    “Anguish and torment, when suffered on the pathway of the Lord, Him of manifest signs, is only favor and grace; affliction is but mercy, and grief a gift from God. Poison is sugar on the tongue, and wrath is kindness, nourishing the soul. Then praise thou Him, the loving Provider, for having ordained this dire…

  • alight

    alight

    “When they reached Kirmánsháh the women alighted at one house, the men at another, and the inhabitants arrived in a continuous stream to seek information as to the new Faith [of the Báb]. Here as elsewhere the ‘ulamás were soon in a state of frenzy and they commanded that the newcomers be expelled. As a…

  • lion

    lion

    “Strong and weak, rich and poor, contending kindreds and hostile nations—which are like the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and kid, the lion and the calf—will treat one another with the utmost love, unity, justice, and equity. The earth will be filled with knowledge and learning, with the realities and mysteries of creation, and…

  • lady

    lady

    “The thoughts of this lady are slightly distracted.“ – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks

  • abode

    abode

    Be thou of the people of hellfire, but be not a hypocrite. Be thou an unbeliever, but be not a plotter. Make thy home in taverns, but tread not the path of the mischief-maker. Fear thou God, but not the priest. Give to the executioner thy head, but not thy heart. Let thine abode be…

  • blossom

    blossom

    I supplicate God that these children may be reared under His protection and that they may be nourished by His favor and grace until all, like beautiful flowers in the garden of human hopes and aspirations, shall blossom and become redolent of fragrance. – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace

  • unfold

    unfold

    “O Son of Spirit!The time cometh, when the nightingale of holiness will no longer unfold the inner mysteries and ye will all be bereft of the celestial melody and of the voice from on high.“ – Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words #15, From the Persian

  • lead

    lead

    “Ye should consider the question of goodly character as of the first importance. It is incumbent upon every father and mother to counsel their children over a long period, and guide them unto those things which lead to everlasting honor.“ – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá

  • glow

    glow

    “The dawn of the Abhá Kingdom hath broken, and the stars of the celestial Concourse glow with light. Gentle breezes blow from the meads of the Lord, and sweet savours waft from the gardens of holiness.“ – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Light of the World

  • meadow

    meadow

    Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. —Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’í Prayers

  • India

    “It is the wish of my heart and soul that the Sun of the divine heavens will shine with such splendour and beauty in that country that India will become a rose-garden…. India will sweeten the palates with delectable sweetness, will mingle ambergris and musk, and mix milk with honey.“ – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Additional Tablets, Extracts…

  • injure

    “Schools must first train the children in the principles of religion, so that the Promise and the Threat recorded in the Books of God may prevent them from the things forbidden and adorn them with the mantle of the commandments; but this in such a measure that it may not injure the children by resulting…

  • battle

    battle

    In this station, neither the reign of the intellect is sufficient nor the rule of self. Thus one of the Prophets of God asked, “O my Lord, how shall I reach Thee?” And the answer came: “Leave thy self behind, and then approach Me.” In the estimation of such souls, to be seated amidst the…

  • transit

    transit

    “Consider, for example, the sun: its transit from one zodiacal sign to the next occurreth within a short period of time, yet only after a long period doth it attain the plenitude of its resplendency, its heat and glory, in the sign of Leo. It must first complete one full revolution through the other constellations…

  • siblings

    siblings

    “Youth… are so often the role models of their younger siblings and friends…“ – The Universal House of Justice, 20 July 2000 – To the Friends gathered at the Asian International Youth Conference, Karachi, Pakistan, 21–23 July 2000. http://www.bahai.org/r/327389102

  • launch

    launch

    Launch it upon the ancient sea, in His Name, the Most Wondrous, Glorified be my Lord, the All-Glorious! And let the angelic spirits enter, in the Name of God, the Most High. Glorified be my Lord, the All-Glorious! – Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í Prayers

  • division

    division

    “We have seen that whatever brings division into the world of existence causes death. Likewise in the world of the spirit does the same law operate. Therefore should every servant of the One God be obedient to the law of love, avoiding all hatred, discord, and strife.“ – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks

  • stars

    stars

    “Praise be to the all-perceiving, the ever-abiding Lord Who, from a dewdrop out of the ocean of His grace, hath reared the firmament of existence, adorned it with the stars of knowledge, and admitted man into the lofty court of insight and understanding.“ – Bahá’u’lláh, The Tabernacle of Unity

  • anew

    anew

    “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…

  • low

    low

    “The fragrances of the All-Merciful have wafted over all creation. Happy the man that hath forsaken his desires, and taken fast hold of guidance. He, indeed, is of those who have attained unto the presence of God in this Day, a Day whereon commotions have seized the dwellers of the earth and filled with dismay…

  • passage

    passage

    “The pain and sting of death consists in the dissolution of what was composed and its passage from one condition to another. When one is accustomed to composition, then decomposition is a painful torment; when one is used to a certain degree and station, it is difficult to take leave of it. It is therefore…

  • arrayed

    arrayed

    “He descended from the tabernacle of beauty till He stood, even as the sun in the midmost heaven, arrayed with a beauty at once peerless and transcendent. Rejoice! This is the immortal Youth, come with the most joyful tidings! Standing in the midmost heaven, He shone forth like unto the sun in its meridian splendour,…

  • nestle

    nestle

    ‘Neath the shade of Thy protecting wings let me nestle, and cast upon me the glance of Thine all-protecting eye. – ‘Abdul-Bahá

  • spring

    spring

    “O Son of My Handmaid! Quaff from the tongue of the merciful the stream of divine mystery, and behold from the dayspring of divine utterance the unveiled splendor of the daystar of wisdom. Sow the seeds of My divine wisdom in the pure soil of the heart, and water them with the waters of certitude,…

  • sad

    sad

    “Today, upon the earth, one sees the sad spectacle of cruel war! Man slays his brother man for selfish gain, and to enlarge his territories! For this ignoble ambition hate has taken possession of his heart, and more and more blood is shed! Fresh battles are fought, the armies are increased, more cannon, more guns,…

  • begin

    begin

    “The whole physical creation is perishable. These material bodies are composed of atoms; when these atoms begin to separate decomposition sets in, then comes what we call death. This composition of atoms, which constitutes the body or mortal element of any created being, is temporary. When the power of attraction, which holds these atoms together,…

  • renewal

    renewal

    “Renewal is the order of the day. And all this newness hath its source in the fresh outpourings of wondrous grace and favor from the Lord of the Kingdom, which have renewed the world. The people, therefore, must be set completely free from their old patterns of thought, that all their attention may be focused…

  • reborn

    reborn

    “Now the new age is here and creation is reborn. Humanity hath taken on new life. The autumn hath gone by, and the reviving spring is here. All things are now made new.“ – ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá

  • Naw-Rúz

    Naw-Rúz

    (Naw-Rúz, March 21, is the first day of the Bahá’í year.) Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Rúz as a festival unto those who have observed the Fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that is abhorrent unto Thee. Grant, O my Lord, that the fire of Thy love…

  • portrait

    portrait

    “O thou servant of the kindly Beloved, Bahá’u’lláh! I can find no nobler title than this wherewith to address thee. Only an hour ago I wrote thee a letter; and now, as I was sorting through my papers, the portrait of that loving friend fell out. When I beheld that adorable countenance, I bestirred myself…

  • budding

    budding

    O Lord! Guard Thou the children that are born in Thy day, are nurtured at the breast of Thy love, and fostered in the bosom of Thy grace. O Lord, they are verily young branches growing in the gardens of Thy knowledge, they are boughs budding in Thy groves of grace. Grant them a share…

  • lake

    lake

    The eye sees a mirage upon the desert as a lake of water, but there is no reality in it. As we stand upon the deck of a steamer, the shore appears to be moving, yet we know the land is stationary and we are moving…In brief, the senses are continually deceived, and we are…

  • dewdrop

    dewdrop

    “O wayfarer in the path of God! Take thou thy portion of the ocean of His grace, and deprive not thyself of the things that lie hidden in its depths. Be thou of them that have partaken of its treasures. A dewdrop out of this ocean would, if shed upon all that are in the…

  • entangled

    entangled

    “We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in…