“Waste not your precious time in fault-finding and backbiting.”

Waste not your precious time in fault-finding and backbiting. Polish the surface of the mirrors of your hearts from the dross of human frailties. If you live according to the standard of other communities, then what difference does there exist between you and them? Baha’u’llah has summoned you to such a lofty summit that the very thought thereof is too dazzling a prospect! He has not chosen you to be satisfied with water and clay! 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to a travel teacher to be conveyed to believers when she met them; recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

“diversity is of two kinds”

This diversity is of two kinds. The first kind of diversity involves innate and temperamental differences, which do not preclude the establishment of universal concord and fellowship; on the contrary, such diversity aids its appearance. It is like the various colours and kinds of flowers in a garden; this diversity adds to their beauty and adornment. Similarly, it is even as the different limbs of the human body, each one of which assists the other and causes its perfections to become apparent. Since all the limbs operate under the influence of a single spiritual power, the differences inherent in each of them do not prevail; rather, they work in concert with one another, and become a thing worthy of veneration. The second kind of diversity involves acquired or otherwise imposed differences. This diversity leads to a lack of proper education; it lays the foundation for ignorance and disloyalty, and results in oppression, hatred, and hostility. Such diversity shall, in the end, cause the peoples of the world to enter into war and strife with one another. Diversity of this kind must be eliminated, so that the various peoples of the world may draw on spiritual power and repose together beneath the shade of a single Word . . . 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 29 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)

A humorous comment about the power of women of America and Europe

In the evening, a group of people were eating dinner at the table in the presence of the Master when He told this joke:

“Though I am not hungry, I sit here at the dinner table only for the sake of Lady Blomfield. She insists and she compels! Two despotic kings in the East were powerless to dictate over me or subdue me. The women of America and Europe, however, rule over me because they are free!"  

- '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)

The “waves of the mind”: - “These waves from our minds go forth and create movement and thought in other minds. From one strong thought of love what great results may be produced!”

While looking from the window, 'Abdu'l-Baha said:

“We hear the murmur of the sea always continuing. It never ceases. Were it to cease, the world would be dead, stagnant, lifeless. But the waves of the mind of man are far greater than those of the sea; they also are ceaseless. They never stop for one instant. This movement is good. If these waves of the mind are few, the man is dull and quiet. What pearls and jewels are contained in the depths of the sea! But the pearls and jewels hidden in the mind of man are the knowledge, virtues, capabilities, etc. These pearls can grow and increase in lustre forever, but the pearls of the sea remain always the same. These waves from our minds go forth and create movement and thought in other minds. From one strong thought of love what great results may be produced!” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ethel J. Rosenberg, during her pilgrimage in January 1909; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

“love is the foundation of every thing”

I asked ‘Abdu’l-Baha what could be done to increase our numbers and make the work more effective.

He said the one essential, the only-thing to do was that the members of the little groups should love each other very much and be devoted friends. The more they loved each other, the more the meetings would attract and draw others, and the more they loved, the more their influence would be felt. He said we must consider all people—not only believers—to be good. He hoped every one would be good.

He added,

“I say this for you in English. I do not often do that; but I say also in English, that you may understand how much I mean it, that love is the foundation of every thing and that all must be good.” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ethel J. Rosenberg, during her pilgrimage in January 1909; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

Don’t let things to make you unhappy – “Heavenly food has He prepared for you; everlasting glory has He bestowed upon you.”

If any troubles or vicissitudes come into your lives—if your heart is depressed on account of health, livelihood or vocation, let not these things affect you. These things should not cause unhappiness. Heavenly food has He prepared for you; everlasting glory has He bestowed upon you. Therefore these Glad Tidings should cause you to soar in the atmosphere of joy forever and ever. You must render thanks unto God forever so that the confirmations of God may encircle you all. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ethel J. Rosenberg, during her pilgrimage in January 1909; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s very busy schedule: - in America, Europe, and Egypt

When I was in America I was most busy. Often I addressed three meetings a day, and gave innumerable interviews from early morning till midnight. In Europe I spread certain divine teachings which will insure security to the human world, and taught them that the foundation of the religions of God is one and the same. Now I have returned to Egypt in order to rest from the effects of this arduous journey; but while I am here correspondence is uninterrupted with all parts of the West. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

The differences among various religions are due to “imitations”: - “As the imitations vary one from another, they become the cause of animosity and difference.”

Divine religions are not the cause of dissension, nor do they beget enmity and hatred, for the foundation of all of them is truth and truth is one, it has no plurality. The differences which we find are the results of imitations. As the imitations vary one from another, they become the cause of animosity and difference. The gloom of these imitations has wholly obscured the Sun of Reality. But, praise be to God, day by day these clouds are being dispersed and dissipated; ere long, they shall be wholly removed and the Sun of Reality shall be seen to shine most brilliantly. The standard of the oneness of humanity will be unfurled, the tabernacle of the universal peace will be raised, and this world will become another world. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, April 25, 1912, Washington DC; recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary, vol. 1’)

“all peoples are related,...all are from one family, citizens of one country and one world”

The greatest wish of people of thought and broad vision and sound understanding is the oneness and unity of humanity. This reality was not so apparent in former times but in this enlightened age which is the age of science and the progress of the world of humanity, this important fact has become manifest through the help and assistance of God: that all peoples are related, that all are from one family, citizens of one country and one world. This is the century of the oneness of the world of humanity and of the decline and abrogation of the superstitions of past ages. Every learned person is persuaded that this is the century for oneness and unity and the time for fanciful prejudices to fade away. We pray that misunderstandings among nations may disappear completely so that it may be evident that the foundation of all divine principles is the oneness of mankind and that the real purpose of all divine Manifestations has been to educate humanity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, April 25, 1912, Washington DC; recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary, vol. 1’)

Bahá'u'lláh’s impact on the world

We must offer thanks to the Blessed Beauty because it is His help that has stirred the people; it is His grace that has changed the hearts. The assistance of the Abhá Kingdom has transformed a drop into a mighty ocean. The aid of the Most High has turned a gnat into an eagle, has invested an ant with the power of a Solomon and has caused the debased one to become a source of eternal honor. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, April 23, 1912, Washington DC; recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary, vol. 1’)

O Bahá'u'lláh! What hast Thou done?

O Bahá'u'lláh! What hast Thou done? O Bahá'u'lláh! May my life be sacrificed for Thee! O Bahá'u'lláh! May my soul be offered up for Thy sake! How full were Thy days with trials and tribulations! How severe the ordeals Thou didst endure! How solid the foundation Thou hast finally laid, and how glorious the banner Thou didst hoist! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, April 24, 1912, Washington DC; recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary, vol. 1’)

The Truly Blessed

• Blessed is he who is charitable, for he shall inherit eternal life.
• Blessed is he who overlooks the faults of others, for he shall enjoy divine beatitude.
• Blessed is he who associates with all with joy and fragrance, for he has obeyed the commands of Baha’u’llah.
• Blessed is he who loves mankind, for he has heeded the advice of Baha’u’llah.
• Blessed is he who is kind to his enemies, for he has walked in the footsteps of Christ.
• Blessed is he who proclaims the doctrine of spiritual brotherhood, for he shall be the child of light.
• Blessed is he whose heart is tender and compassionate, for he will throw stones at no one.
• Blessed is he who will speak evil of no one, for he hath attained to the good pleasure of the Lord.
• Blessed is he who will not uncover the sins of others, for he will become favored at the threshold of the Almighty.
• Blessed is he who hath a forgiving nature, for he will win the spiritual graces of God.
• Blessed is he who diffuses only the sweet fragrance of the flowers of friendship and mutual association, for he will obtain a goodly portion of the bounties of the Merciful.
• Blessed is he who teaches union and concord, for he will shine like unto a star in heaven.
• Blessed is he who practices loving-kindness and co-operation, for he will be encircled with celestial benedictions.
• Blessed is he who comforts the downtrodden, for he will be the friend of God.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of Abdul-Baha to Miss Harriet Magee, May 1913, recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 5, June 5, 1916)

Meaning of certain phrases in the Bible

Words spoken by Abdu’l-Baha to some pilgrims who had just returned from a trip to the place of sacrifice of Elijah:

The altar of sacrifice is the living heart of man, and not a few pieces of dead stones. The fire that came down from heaven was no other than the fire of the love of God descending from the heaven of the divine will; the bullocks are human and carnal desires and appetites which are entirely burned away by this ideal fire, leaving the spiritual altar cleansed and pure, and then celestial qualifications and attributes will take the place of former blameworthy qualities. The killing of the priests of Baal means that the enemies of truth were so filled with wrath against the triumph of the cause of righteousness that they perished by their own defeat. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 4, May 17, 1916)

“The greatest proof of Baha’u’llah”: - “He was always manifest and evident under all conditions and circumstances”

The greatest proof of Baha’u’llah — may my life be a ransom to Him — consists in the fact that He was always manifest and evident under all conditions and circumstances. He was never concealed nor was He disguised for one day. In Persia, in Bagdad, in Constantinople, in Adrianople and in the Most Great prison, Baha’u’llah ever withstood the persecutions of the enemies and kept His own ground in the face of all the world. He never attempted to protect or shield Himself for one second. Before all nations and all religions He proclaimed His Cause and declared His teachings. The foes were resisting the spread of the cause with the greatest hostility and His blessed breast was the target for an hundred thousand arrows. It is revealed in the Visiting Tablet:

“I bear witness that the eye of creation hath never gazed upon one wronged like Thee. Thou wast immersed all the days of Thy life beneath an ocean of tribulations. At one time Thou wast in chains and fetters; at another Thou wast threatened by the sword of Thine enemies.”

Continually He was threatened with the darts and javelins of the adversaries. He cried out:

“We have burned away the veil and the shroud and are enkindled with the fire of love. Like the candle We are set aglow and like the Beloved We are ever present in the gathering of the lovers.”

It is well-nigh beyond belief that notwithstanding all these dangers, Baha’u’llah was protected. The condition was like that of a deer: although surrounded by a hundred thousand hounds, attacking it from every side, yet protected by an invisible power. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 4, May 17, 1916)

An example of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s compassion and generosity

Upon returning from that place, the Master saw a number of other poor people, to whom He showed great kindness and good cheer. He then related an anecdote from the days when He lived in ‘Akká:

“A number of souls, destitute and famished, approached me and begged me to give them something to sustain them. I directed their attention to a grocers stall, on which every kind of food imaginable had been laid out, and said to them, ‘Throw yourselves upon this stall. Whatever is there, seize it, eat it, and take it with you. The responsibility for your actions will rest with me.’ Upon hearing these words, these impoverished, desperately hungry souls immediately ransacked the stall and began to plunder its wares.

“However much the shopkeeper loudly objected, 'You are stealing my goods!’, these impoverished people paid him no heed whatsoever. They even ate dry, uncooked rice, and took all sorts of merchandise with them.”

Later ‘Abdu’l-Baha compensated the grocer.

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 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)

To help oneself to “enter into a state of reflection and transcendence”

Following this, the Master commented on the spaciousness and pleasantness of the park:

“It is indeed uncrowded and peaceful here. The weather is lovely, and the grass is verdant and beautiful. To walk in such places causes one to feel more spiritual, and grants tranquillity to one's heart. This is especially the case when one is alone, and may enter into a state of reflection and transcendence.” 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 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)

“Children must first be trained in divine virtues and encouraged to improve their characters.”

Children must first be trained in divine virtues and encouraged to improve their characters. When this has taken place, every effort must be made to teach them sciences, crafts, and other excellences - for if godly training and a goodly character are absent, the acquisition of sciences and crafts alone are inadequate. In such a state, there would be nothing to safeguard the child’s character against corruption, or to protect him from the harmful influence of self and desire. On the contrary, such a void would generate idle thoughts, and strengthen the compelling power of personal interests. Such an outcome can be avoided only when this secular education is imparted in conjunction with the conferment of godly training and the cultivation of a goodly character. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 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)

The “elasticity” of the “Revelation of Baha’u’llah"

Were not the Revelation of Baha’u’llah one adaptable to the entire world and its diverse nations, it could not be a unique and universal Revelation, but its elasticity adapts itself to all conditions, and its spirit is one that moulds itself into every vehicle and need for the accomplishment of the divine plan of unity.

But when some follow merely the hard and fixed letter of the law, they deprive it (the Revelation) of its elastic quality—the spirit—and endeavor to convert it into a hard instrument of inflexible qualities. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Dr. Edward Getsinger in answer to his questions asked during his pilgrimage in 1915; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 6, June 24, 1915)

“The darkness of this gloomy night shall pass away. Again the Sun of Reality will dawn from the horizon of the hearts.” – words attributed to ‘Abdu’l-Baha

The darkness of this gloomy night shall pass away. Again the Sun of Reality will dawn from the horizon of the hearts. Have patience—wait, but do not sit idle; work while you are waiting; smile while you are wearied with monotony; be firm while everything around you is being shaken; be joyous while the ugly face of despair grins at you; speak aloud while the malevolent forces of the nether world try to crush your mind; be valiant and courageous while men all around you are cringing with fear and cowardice. Do not yield to the overwhelming power of tyranny and despotism. Serve the cause of democracy and freedom. Continue your journey to the end. The bright day is coming. The nucleus of the new race is forming. The harbinger of the new ideals of international justice is appearing. The trees of hope will become verdant; the copper of scorn and derision will be transmuted into the gold of honor and praise; the arid desert of ignorance will be transformed into the luxuriant garden of knowledge, the threatening clouds shall be dispelled and the stars of faith and charity will again twinkle in the clear heaven of human consciousness. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Ahmad Sohrab, one of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's secretaries and translators from 1912 to 1919; received by Alfred E. Lunt in a letter from the Holy Land; Star of the West, volume 9, no. 13, November 4, 1918)