June 14

You assemble at a time [2001] when the turmoil and confusion in the world created through the operation of the Major Plan of God is giving rise to apprehension and unease among the mass of humanity. Now, as never before, should the followers of Bahá'u'lláh demonstrate, through both word and deed, their confidence in the future and their awareness that enduring harmony and tranquillity can be found only by aligning oneself with the constructive forces of change at work throughout the planet today. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 16 December 2001, addressed to the Friends assembled at the “Fire in the Pacific" Conference in Honolulu; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 2001-2022’)

June 12

The elucidations of the Universal House of Justice stem from its legislative function, and as such differ from interpretation. The divinely inspired legislation of the House of Justice does not attempt to say what the revealed Word means—it states what must be done in cases where the revealed Text or its authoritative interpretation is not explicit. It is, therefore, on quite a different level from the sacred Text, and the Universal House of Justice is empowered to abrogate or amend its own legislation whenever it judges the conditions make this desirable.

As to your question concerning whether the translations, compilations and other works prepared by the Research Department at the Bahá’í World Centre should be considered as partaking in the infallibility of the Universal House of Justice and, therefore, constituting the “final word,” the House of Justice indicates that such materials, though prepared at its direction, represent the views of that Department. While such views are very useful as an aid to resolving perplexities or gaining an enhanced understanding of the Bahá’í teachings, they should never be taken to be in the same category as the elucidations and clarifications provided by the Universal House of Justice in the exercise of its assigned functions. However, the House of Justice chooses to convey the materials prepared by the Research Department to the friends because it wishes them to be thoughtfully attended to and seriously considered. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 15 December 1994 written on behalf o the Universal House of justice to an individual believer; Baha’i Library Online)

June 10

Regarding the question you asked in your letter: The only people who are truly free of the "dross of self" are the Prophets, for to be free of one's ego is a hallmark of perfection. We humans are never going to become perfect, for perfection belongs to a realm we are not destined to enter. However, we must constantly mount higher, seek to be more perfect.

The ego is the animal in us, the heritage of the flesh which is full of selfish desires. By obeying the laws of God, seeking to live the life laid down in our teachings, and prayer and struggle, we can subdue our egos. We call people "saints" who have achieved the highest degree of mastery over their ego.

There is no contradiction between Gleanings" p. 66 and p. 262. In one place He says the mirror will never be free from dross, in the other He says it will be "so cleansed . . . as to be able," etc. It is relative thing; perfection will never be reached, but great, and ever greater, progress can be make. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 8 January 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Psychology and Knowledge of Self’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, attached to a letter dated 23 October 1994 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Baha’i Library Online)

June 8

…the ever-increasing confusion of the world, threatened as never before with disruptive forces, fierce rivalries, fresh commotions and grave disorder, have well-nigh overwhelmed the heart and damped the zeal of even the most enthusiastic believers in the destiny of mankind.

And yet, how often we seem to forget the clear and repeated warnings of our beloved Master, who in particular during the concluding years of his mission on earth, laid stress on the severe mental tests that would inevitably sweep over his loved ones of the West - tests that would purge, purify and prepare them for their noble mission in life.

And as to the world’s evil plight, we need but recall the writings and sayings of Bahá’u’lláh, who, more than fifty years ago, declared in terms prophetic the prime cause of the ills and sufferings of mankind, and set forth their true and divine remedy "Should the lamp of Religion be hidden", He declared, "chaos and confusion will ensue." How admirably fitting and applicable are these words to the present state of mankind!

Ours then is the duty and privilege to labour, by day, by night, amidst the storm and stress of these troublous days, that we may quicken the zeal of our fellow-man, rekindle their hopes, stimulate their interests, open their eyes to the true Faith of God and enlist their active support in the carrying out of our common task for the peace and regeneration of the world. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 2 December 1923 to the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand; ‘Messages to the Antipodes’)

June 6

Let us pray to God that in these days of world encircling gloom, when the dark forces of nature, of hate, rebellion, anarchy and reaction are threatening the very stability of human society, when the precious fruits of civilisation are undergoing severe and unparalleled tests, we may all realise more profoundly than ever, that though but a mere handful amidst the seething masses of the world, are in this day the chosen instruments of God’s Grace, that our Mission is most urgent and vital to the fate of humanity and, fortified by these sentiments, arise to achieve God’s holy purpose for mankind. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 2 December 1923 to the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand; ‘Messages to the Antipodes’)

June 4

Your inquiries into matters of mental health are timely, for of all medical science studies, remedies for disorders of the brain and mind are possibly the most important for mankind. In a letter written on behalf of the beloved Guardian, which refers to Freudian methods, it is stated that "psychiatric treatment . . . is still a growing rather than a perfected science," hence requires contemporary disciplined study. In another letter he provides guidance by suggesting that, despite the many mental diseases and troubles of the present day, the power in the Faith is such that it can sustain Bahá'ís, whatever their ailments may be, on a much higher level than is given to others who are denied its healing grace. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 8 July 1986 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Psychology and Knowledge of Self’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, attached to a letter dated 23 October 1994 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Baha’i Library Online)

June 2

…Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfáhání… is described by Shoghi Effendi as the “Antichrist of the Bahá’í Revelation”. He was a man of corrupt character and great personal ambition who induced Mírzá Yahyá to oppose Bahá’u’lláh and to claim prophethood for himself. Although he was an adherent of Mírzá Yahyá, Siyyid Muhammad was exiled with Bahá’u’lláh to Akká. He continued to agitate and plot against Bahá’u’lláh. In describing the circumstances of his death, Shoghi Effendi has written in God Passes By:

A fresh danger now clearly threatened the life of Bahá’u’lláh. Though He Himself had stringently forbidden His followers, on several occasions, both verbally and in writing, any retaliatory acts against their tormentors, and had even sent back to Beirut an irresponsible Arab convert, who had meditated avenging the wrongs suffered by his beloved Leader, seven of the companions clandestinely sought out and slew three of their persecutors, among whom were Siyyid Muhammad and Áqá Ján.

The consternation that seized an already oppressed community was indescribable. Bahá’u’lláh’s indignation knew no bounds. “Were We”, He thus voices His emotions, in a Tablet revealed shortly after this act had been committed, “to make mention of what befell Us, the heavens would be rent asunder and the mountains would crumble.” “My captivity”, He wrote on another occasion, “cannot harm Me. That which can harm Me is the conduct of those who love Me, who claim to be related to Me, and yet perpetrate what causeth My heart and My pen to groan.” 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The 'Notes' section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)

May 31

Concerning the attitude of some Bahá'ís, who seem at times to be insensitive and unsupportive, all we can do is to try to follow the patient example of the Master, bearing in mind that each believer is but one of the servants of the Almighty who must strive to learn and grow. The absence of spiritual qualities, like darkness, has no existence in itself. As the light of spirituality penetrates deep into the hearts, this darkness gradually dissipates and is replaced by virtue. Understanding this, and that the believers are encouraged to be loving and patient with one another, it will be clear that you too are called upon to exercise patience with the friends who demonstrate immaturity, and to have faith that the power of the Word of God will gradually effect a transformation in individual believers and in the Bahá'í community as a whole. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 23 October 1994 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Baha’i Library Online)

May 29

 Expatiating on the forces latent in His Revelation Bahá’u’lláh reveals the following:

• “Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration.” “This is,” He adds, “the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the pen of this wronged One to mankind.”
• “How great,” He in another passage exclaims, “is the Cause! How staggering the weight of its message! This is the Day of which it hath been said: ‘O my son! verily God will bring everything to light though it were but the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and hidden in a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth; for God is subtile, informed of all.’”
• “By the righteousness of the one true God! If one speck of a jewel be lost and buried beneath a mountain of stones, and lie hidden beyond the seven seas, the Hand of Omnipotence will assuredly reveal it in this day, pure and cleansed from dross.”
•  “He that partaketh of the waters of My Revelation will taste all the incorruptible delights ordained by God from the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end.”
• “Every single letter proceeding from Our mouth is endowed with such regenerative power as to enable it to bring into existence a new creation—a creation the magnitude of which is inscrutable to all save God. He verily hath knowledge of all things.”
• “It is in Our power, should We wish it, to enable a speck of floating dust to generate, in less than the twinkling of an eye, suns of infinite, of unimaginable splendor, to cause a dewdrop to develop into vast and numberless oceans, to infuse into every letter such a force as to empower it to unfold all the knowledge of past and future ages.”
• “We are possessed of such power which, if brought to light, will transmute the most deadly of poisons into a panacea of unfailing efficacy.”

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah; included in ‘The World Order of Baha’u’llah’) 

May 27

Bahá’u’lláh enjoins the adoption of a universal language and script. His Writings envisage two stages in this process. The first stage is to consist of the selection of an existing language or an invented one which would then be taught in all the schools of the world as an auxiliary to the mother tongues. The governments of the world through their parliaments are called upon to effect this momentous enactment. The second stage, in the distant future, would be the eventual adoption of one single language and common script for all on earth. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The 'Notes' section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)

May 25

A new conception of family begins with a new conception of marriage. Bahá’u’lláh observes that marriage is not only “the key to the perpetuation of life for the peoples of the world”, but “the inscrutable instrument for the fulfilment of their destiny.”

For Bahá’ís, marriage is not only a physical bond, but a spiritual one as well, with implications for life in this world and the next. Bahá’í marriage, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains, “is the commitment of the two parties one to the other, and their mutual attachment of mind and heart”, so that they “may ever improve the spiritual life of each other,” and so that they may “abide with each other in the closest companionship” and “be even as a single soul.” In Bahá’í marriage, two souls learn how to assist one another so that both may achieve their twofold moral purpose—to develop their inherent God-given potentialities and to contribute to an ever-advancing civilization. The relationship the couple establishes beginning with their marriage ceremony will, throughout space and time, affect the forging of countless new relationships among other people that can constructively reshape lives and communities.

The Bahá’í perspective on marriage transcends dichotomies arising from permissive and regressive perspectives prevalent in society. In Bahá’í marriage, love, equality, intimacy, fidelity, sexual relations, childbearing, and childrearing are integrated and their interconnection strengthened, establishing a fortress for personal and social well-being. Permissive social practices undermine marriage and the family by disaggregating these features that are essential to human flourishing, while regressive practices overemphasize or distort one or another of these features to oppress family members. Adherence to the Teachings helps to resolve such problems. Much needs to be learned across diverse cultural settings throughout the world about the implications of all the features of Bahá’í marriage found in the Teachings. For example, central to the development of a new pattern of Bahá’í married life is the principle of the equality of women and men. As this principle is applied between the wife and husband within the marriage, the relationship is strengthened and thrives, and girls and boys will be raised with a new understanding of equality and its practical expression. The ramifications of this principle will thus gradually extend to future generations and contribute to the advancement of women until ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s expectation that women will “participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world” is entirely realized. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 19 March 2025 to the Bahá’ís of the World; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

May 23

May 23, 1844, signalizes the commencement of the most turbulent period of the Heroic Age of the Bahá'í Era, an age which marks the opening of the most glorious epoch in the greatest cycle which the spiritual history of mankind has yet witnessed. No more than a span of nine short years marks the duration of this most spectacular, this most tragic, this most eventful period of the first Bahá'í century. It was ushered in by the birth of a Revelation whose Bearer posterity will acclaim as the "Point round Whom the realities of the Prophets and Messengers revolve," and terminated with the first stirrings of a still more potent Revelation, "whose day," Bahá'u'lláh Himself affirms, "every Prophet hath announced," for which "the soul of every Divine Messenger hath thirsted," and through which "God hath proved the hearts of the entire company of His Messengers and Prophets." 

- Shoghi Effendi  ('God Passes By')

May 21

Bahá’u’lláh states that the essential “requisite” for reciting “the verses of God” is the “eagerness and love” of the believers to “read the Word of God” (Questions and Answers no. 68).

With regard to the definition of “verses of God,” Bahá’u’lláh states that it refers to “all that hath been sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance.” Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written to one of the believers in the East, has clarified that the term “verses of God” does not include the writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; he has likewise indicated that this term does not apply to his own writings. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The ‘Notes’ section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)

May 19

Bahá’u’lláh confirms the injunction in the Arabic Bayán regarding the renewal, every nineteen years, of the furnishings of one’s home, provided one is able to do so. ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá relates this ordinance to the promotion of refinement and cleanliness. He explains that the purpose of the law is that one should change those furnishings that become old, lose their luster and provoke repugnance. It does not apply to such things as rare or treasured articles, antiques or jewelry. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The ‘Notes’ section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)

May 17

In his writings, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá’í placed great emphasis on the Arabic letter “Váv.” In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabíl states that this letter “symbolized for the Báb the advent of a new cycle of Divine Revelation, and has since been alluded to by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in such passages as ‘the mystery of the Great Reversal’ and ‘the Sign of the Sovereign.’”

The name for the letter “Váv” consists of three letters: Váv, Alif, Váv. According to the abjad reckoning, the numerical value of each of these letters is 6, 1 and 6 respectively. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf to one of the believers in the East provides an interpretation of this verse of the Aqdas. He states that the “Upright Alif” refers to the advent of the Báb. The first letter with its value of six, which comes before the Alif, is a symbol of earlier Dispensations and Manifestations which predate the Báb, while the third letter, which also has a numerical value of six, stands for Bahá’u’lláh’s supreme Revelation which was made manifest after the Alif. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The ‘Notes’ section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)

May 15

The process whereby the effulgence of so dazzling a Revelation was unfolded to the eyes of men was of necessity slow and gradual. The first intimation which its Bearer [Bahá’u’lláh] received did not synchronize with, nor was it followed immediately by, a disclosure of its character to either His own companions or His kindred. A period of no less than ten years had to elapse ere its far-reaching implications could be directly divulged to even those who had been intimately associated with Him—a period of great spiritual ferment, during which the Recipient of so weighty a Message restlessly anticipated the hour at which He could unburden His heavily laden soul, so replete with the potent energies released by God’s nascent Revelation. All He did, in the course of this pre-ordained interval, was to hint, in veiled and allegorical language, in epistles, commentaries, prayers and treatises, which He was moved to reveal, that the Báb’s promise had already been fulfilled, and that He Himself was the One Who had been chosen to redeem it. A few of His fellow-disciples, distinguished by their sagacity, and their personal attachment and devotion to Him, perceived the radiance of the as yet unrevealed glory that had flooded His soul, and would have, but for His restraining influence, divulged His secret and proclaimed it far and wide. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 13

At a time when society is beset by numerous maladies and afflictions, when destructive forces have penetrated human institutions including the institution of the family, weakening its cohesion and undermining its stability, profound reflection on how the teachings of God and the experience of the Bahá’í community can today not only protect the institution of the family from the darts of destruction but make it a space for acquiring perfections and a haven from harm—ultimately turning it into a constructive and potent instrument for social transformation—is of immense value and importance. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a Naw-Ruz 2025 message to the Baha’is in Iran; authorized translation, online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

May 11

Bahá’ís are required by the teachings of their Faith to refrain from involvement in partisan political activity and civil disorder. This is true whether such activity is a response to racial oppression, as is generally the case in South Africa, or to more widespread attempts to keep people divided and vulnerable such as the persecution of religious belief, the suppression of women, or the denial of political freedom. The hard-won experience of Bahá’ís under all these conditions convinces them beyond any doubt that humanity can learn to live as one family and that all the forces of contemporary history are rapidly impelling the race in this direction. 

- The Office of Public Information at the Baha’i World Center (From a statement “Apartheid: A Bahá’í View”, approved by the Universal House of Justice and sent by the Department of the Secretariat to all National Spiritual Assemblies on 12 October 1986; ‘Messages from the Universal House of justice 1986-2001’)

May 9

The combination of absolute loyalty to the Manifestation of God and His Teachings, with the searching and intelligent study of the Teachings and history of the Faith which those Teachings themselves enjoin, is a particular strength of this Dispensation. In past Dispensations the believers have tended to divide into two mutually antagonistic groups: those who held blindly to the letter of the Revelation, and those who questioned and doubted everything. Like all extremes, both these can lead into error. The beloved Guardian has written that "The Bahá'í Faith ... enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth...." Bahá'ís are called upon to follow the Faith with intelligence and understanding. Inevitably believers will commit errors as they strive to rise to this degree of maturity, and this calls for forbearance and humility on the part of all concerned, so that such matters do not cause disunity or discord among the friends. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 7 October 1980 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)