‘Abdu’l-Baha’s reference to World War I

I hope that the Balkan War shall come to an end, and that the rights of both belligerents’ be protected and preserved. Otherwise, the flame of this war shall devour the earth - in particular Europe, which is even as an arsenal filled with explosives, and needs only a single spark to utterly obliterate the entire continent. Thus, there is no recourse but to embrace universal peace. This, indeed, is the most pressing issue of the day; I pray God that this peace will be realized. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 24 December 1912, London, England recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

Characteristics of “divine civilization” to be established in countries

America and Europe have advanced to the utmost in terms of material civilization; day by day, they continue to make material progress. My hope, however, is that divine civilization shall likewise be established in these countries - a civilization whose foundation was laid by the prophets of God, whose success depends on the realm of saintly character and spiritual education, and whose existence shall be the cause of spiritual advancements in the world of humanity. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 24 December 1912, London, England recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

Bahá’u’lláh “made Himself even as a shield” so that we “may be kept safe from the cruelty of ferocious and relentless beasts, and sheltered from the oppression of the wolves of self and desire”

God made manifest the True Shepherd to gather together all His flocks, and that kind Shepherd was Bahá’u’lláh. He brought together the scattered flocks, and fostered fellowship among various peoples. Wishing to protect and support the peoples of the world, He made Himself even as a shield - and in so doing became the target of the darts of calamity, and prey to the onslaught of ravenous wolves - so that the sheep of God may be kept safe from the cruelty of ferocious and relentless beasts, and sheltered from the oppression of the wolves of self and desire, with the aim that these sheep may enjoy protection and eternal life. My hope is that we, too, may succeed in gathering together the scattered flocks beneath the shade of the True Shepherd, guiding them to the pasture of divine bounty and protecting them from the wolves. Thus shall these scattered flocks come together and live our their days in the utmost happiness. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 24 December 1912, London, England recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

While the multitude were so violently aroused against the Cause in Shiraz ‘Abdu’l-Baha directed the believers to repair the House of the Báb

The sacred House of the Holy Báb at Shiraz needed much repairing: and yet the people were so violently aroused against the Cause in the city and made so much trouble, that the believers could not even pass through the street in which the House is situated - how much less to be allowed to work at it. The populace revolted against the Baha'is to such an extent, that even the Governor was made incapable of checking them. He finally said that nothing could be done, and that the Baha'is should quit the city in order to save themselves. Such was the news we received at the time from Shiraz. But we notified them not to mind the words at all but to engage in repairing the Sacred House immediately. We wrote them: 'Go and build, and let them come and destroy it directly!'

To be brief: They began to work in repairing the House, and by God's providence no one interrupted them, nor said a word against the undertaking, whereas the believers had at first thought that naturally no sooner they laid down one brick than the people would remove it. Thus all such repairing was completed. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

‘Abdu’l- Baha’s garden in Akka

One evening 'Abdu'l-Baha was in the little garden outside the house. A number of us pilgrims were present. Calling attention to trees and flowers He had planted. He said in part:

"This was a place of dirt and refuse and loathsome to look upon. During the days when Akka was in confusion and the whirlwind of tests was violent, and a rumor persisted that they were about to banish us to a remote place, we were engaged in planting these trees and flowers and laying out this garden. Now this has become such a delightful place. How surprising indeed is the assertion made by some people that existence needs no trainer! Were it not for the direct result of care and training, this place would have ever remained a heap of dirt and refuse." 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

“For the people of Faith, calamities, trials and tribulations are conducive to spiritual progress: provided one endures them patiently and with severance for all else save God.”

Many a time, a calamity becomes the means to a bounty. Not until man has endured hardship because of a thing will he appreciate the full value of the thing. The more one suffers on account of an object, the greater he realizes its worth. It is said in the Quran: 'They will never attain (unto Divine Bounty) except through severe trials.' The more you search the earth and the deeper you dig into its bosom with the plough, the more fertile it becomes. For the people of Faith, calamities, trials and tribulations are conducive to spiritual progress: provided one endures them patiently and with severance for all else save God. It is said in the Quran: 'Did ye suppose that ye will enter the Paradise, but when trials, similar unto those suffered by men before you come upon you, you were overcome with grief and afflictions?' Man cannot find intoxication without drinking from his cup. Man cannot take part in the hilarity of those drunk from the wine of the love of God without quaffing the cup of calamity. The more you beat the iron, the sharper it becomes; the longer you subject gold to red-hot fire, the purer and clearer it becomes.

Even among the people of the world, and even in worldly pursuits, trials and tests play a similar part. The more a man endures hardship in a matter and the more trials one meets in learning a handicraft, the more experienced and skillful he becomes therein. But a man who spends his days in quiet and ease never attains a high degree in any matter.

One must therefore, know their value and wish for whatever suffering may befall us in the path of God. His Holiness the Supreme (The Báb) has said in one of His supplications: 'Were it not to suffer calamities in the path of Love I would never have accepted to be born into this world.' This is the worth of trials in the path of God! 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

“In this age every face must turn to God, so that spiritual enlightenment will go hand in hand with material education.”

In this age every face must turn to God, so that spiritual enlightenment will go hand in hand with material education. Material education alone cannot make the world happy. Spiritual civilization must assist the material civilization. The men of science and philosophy are the founders of the material education, but His Holiness Christ was the founder of the spiritual, divine civilization. Material civilization serves the world of men, but the spiritual civilization founds the world of morals. These two kinds of civilization must go hand in hand. The material civilization is like the lamp, but the spiritual civilization is like the light in the lamp. This lamp without the light is a useless thing. Therefore, in our day philosophy and science must go hand in hand with the spiritual civilization. The material civilization is like the body; the spiritual civilization is like the spirit which is the life to the body. So long as the spirit gives life to the body, we behold a living thing, but a body without spirit is dead. It is my desire that ye all may reach the state of spiritual civilization. Like as ye have made great progress in material science, so may ye also progress in the spiritual world. Then the light of the Kingdom of God will shine through all the world. May the Sun of Reality illumine the East and the West." 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, 3 April 1913, Stuttgart, Germany; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 4, 17 May, 1913)