Spiritual Food for Thought - from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi and Universal House of Justice: April 2018

April 30

It is entirely proper to set prayers to music, and the friends are free to sing prayers in unison. Indeed, assuming that the music is appropriate and that the believers do not make a ritual out of it, it is highly praiseworthy for choirs to sing appropriate verses revealed by Bahá'u'lláh and the Master...

We would assume also that the friends will always keep in mind that whether read, chanted or sung, prayers should be uttered with proper sense of reverence.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, February 6, 1973; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

April 29

The House of Justice recognizes that the questions you raise, concerning the offer of newly enrolled professionals to share their views with the Bahá'í community, are of vital and timely importance, especially as the Faith emerges from obscurity and increasing numbers of professionals from all walks of life are attracted to its Teachings. The process of integrating these experts into Bahá'í communities as well-grounded believers and tapping their potential as promoters and supporters of the Cause will require patient and loving guidance by Bahá'í institutions.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 18 April 1989 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)

April 28

We urge you ever to bear in mind that the purpose of Bahá'í administration is primarily to lend strength and directive to the teaching work and to promote the establishment of the Faith. It should never be regarded as an end in itself but purely as a means to canalize and make effective a spiritual vitality generated by the Word of God in the hearts of the believers.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, November 12, 1973; Compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

April 27

In reply to your letter of November 7th, 1973 there is no objection whatsoever to a non-member of the National Spiritual Assembly typing your Minutes or such other confidential reports. Many National Spiritual Assemblies employ typists in their national offices who are intimately connected with all the work of the National Spiritual Assembly. Of course, the personal employed should enjoy the confidence of the National Spiritual Assembly.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, November 20, 1973; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

April 26

The letter from the Spiritual Assembly of . . . indicates that the miscarriage took place when the mother was approximately four months into her pregnancy, therefore, they could have been assured that they did the right thing in having the fetus buried. Also, it would have been helpful for the Assembly to know that the hospital policy of incinerating a naturally aborted fetus is not in keeping with Bahá'í law which prohibits cremation.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated December 3, 1973 to a National Spiritual Assembly; compilation: Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

April 25

Bahá’u’lláh made no mention of Buddha, and if it had not been for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's statement we would not have been in a position to state definitely that Buddha had been a Manifestation of God. There are a myriad traditions in the legends of peoples that point back to some sort of divine revelation but, as the beloved Guardian's secretary pointed out on his behalf in a letter written to an individual believer on 13 March 1950, ". . . We cannot possibly add names of people we (or anyone else) think might be Lesser Prophets to those found in the Qur’án, the Bible and our own Scriptures. For only these can we consider authentic Books." We must just accept that there are undoubtedly many prophetic figures of whom all authentic record has been lost.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 27 October 1986, written on behalf of the Universal House of justice to an individual believer; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

April 24

Whether a newly declared Bahá’í should be invited to attend a Nineteen Day Feast before his declaration has been accepted is a matter at the discretion of the Local Spiritual Assembly in light of the specific circumstances. For example, where feasible, could the Assembly not provide that, if a declaration is made so soon before a Feast that the Assembly has no time to meet to accept it, the officers would be authorized to welcome the new believer to the Feast unless they have some reason for doubting that the declaration would be accepted? In general it would seem to be better to show a loving and welcoming spirit rather than to stand on a point of administrative procedure.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 9 November 1989 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

April 23

As you well understand, there is no universally applicable procedure that a new believer must follow in making a declaration of faith. In essence, it is simply the act of making it known to the Bahá’ís that he too believes in Bahá’u’lláh, accepts the Faith, and wishes to be recognized as a member of the Bahá’í community. The process of considering and accepting such a declaration by the institutions of the Faith or their duly appointed representatives should follow as swiftly as possible. The procedure for this is left to the discretion of each National Spiritual Assembly, and can vary from area to area within the same country.

April 22

Now is the time when every follower of Bahá'u'lláh must cling fast to the Covenant of God, resist every temptation to become embroiled in the conflicts of the world, and remember that he is the holder of a precious trust, the Message of God which, alone, can banish injustice from the world and cure the ills afflicting the body and spirit of man. We are the bearers of the Word of God in this day and, however dark the immediate horizons, we must go forward rejoicing in the knowledge that the work we are privileged to perform is God's work and will bring to birth a world whose splendor will outshine our brightest visions and surpass our highest hopes.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated Naw-Ruz, 1979, to the Bahá'ís of the World)

April 21

To Him [Baha’u’llah] Jesus Christ had referred as the “Prince of this world,” as the “Comforter” Who will “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,” as the “Spirit of Truth” Who “will guide you into all truth,” Who “shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak,” as the “Lord of the Vineyard,” and as the “Son of Man” Who “shall come in the glory of His Father” “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” with “all the holy angels” about Him, and “all nations” gathered before His throne.

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By’)

April 20

As the year “eighty” [1280 AH, 1863 AD] steadily and inexorably approached, He Who had become the real leader of that community increasingly experienced, and progressively communicated to His future followers, the onrushing influences of its informing force. The festive, the soul-entrancing odes which He revealed almost every day; the Tablets, replete with hints, which streamed from His pen; the allusions which, in private converse and public discourse, He made to the approaching hour; the exaltation which in moments of joy and sadness alike flooded His soul; the ecstasy which filled His lovers, already enraptured by the multiplying evidences of His rising greatness and glory; the perceptible change noted in His demeanor; and finally, His adoption of the táj (tall felt head-dress), on the day of His departure from His Most Holy House—all proclaimed unmistakably His imminent assumption of the prophetic office and of His open leadership of the community of the Báb’s followers.

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By’)

April 19

There [in the Garden of Ridvan] His friends and companions, arriving in successive waves, attained His presence and bade Him, with feelings of profound sorrow, their last farewell. Outstanding among them was the renowned Álúsí, the Muftí of Baghdád, who, with eyes dimmed with tears, execrated the name of Násiri’d-Dín Sháh, whom he deemed to be primarily responsible for so unmerited a banishment. “I have ceased to regard him,” he openly asserted, “as Násiri’d-Dín (the helper of the Faith), but consider him rather to be its wrecker.” Another distinguished visitor was the governor himself, Námiq Páshá, who, after expressing in the most respectful terms his regret at the developments which had precipitated Bahá’u’lláh’s departure, and assuring Him of his readiness to aid Him in any way he could, handed to the officer appointed to accompany Him a written order, commanding the governors of the provinces through which the exiles would be passing to extend to them the utmost consideration. “Whatever you require,” he, after profuse apologies, informed Bahá’u’lláh, “you have but to command. We are ready to carry it out.” “Extend thy consideration to Our loved ones,” was the reply to his insistent and reiterated offers, “and deal with them with kindness”—a request to which he gave his warm and unhesitating assent.

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By’]

April 18

…the twelve joyous days of [Ridvan]… may be justly regarded as the foremost Bahá'í Festival.

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 24 October 1925 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, published in ‘Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932’)

April 17

…we must remember that the Founders of the Great Religions are but one of the kinds of prophet, and we should study the following Qur’ánic statements:

“And every nation had an apostle; so when their apostle came, the matter was decided between them with justice and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (Surah 10, verse 47); “And certainly We raised in every nation an apostle saying: Serve God and shun the devil. . . .” (Surah 16, verse 36); “And on the day when We will raise up a witness out of every nation, then shall no permission be given to those who disbelieve, nor shall they be made to solicit favor.” (Surah 16, verse 84); “. . . And there is not a people but a warner has gone among them.” (Surah 35, verse 24)

There are Prophets mentioned in the Qur’án, such as Húd and Ṣáliḥ, about whom the Bible is silent. Idrís, whom the Qur’án states was a Prophet, is identified with Hermes by Bahá’u’lláh, Who states "In every tongue he hath a special name." It is clear that He must have lived in very ancient times.

April 16

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself in a talk given in Maiden, Massachusetts, confirms that "The East has ever been the dawning point of the Sun of Reality. All the Prophets of God have appeared there. The religions of God have been promulgated, the teachings of God have been spread, and the law of God founded in the East. The Orient has always been the center of lights." (The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 289) Indeed, one can see that the Prophets of God named in the Scriptures have appeared, not just in the East, but in a very limited area of the East, stretching from the Levant and Egypt across Iran as far as India. We have no authenticated records of Chinese or Japanese Prophets.

April 15

Even though there have been outstanding women such as Sarah, Ásíyih, the Virgin Mary, Fátimih, Táhirih and the Greatest Holy Leaf in every Dispensation, it is an incontrovertible fact that all Manifestations of God known to us have been men. Moreover, it is a clear provision in Bahá’í administration that the Guardians were to be men and that membership on the Universal House of Justice is confined to men. Whether these facts point to a differentiation in function that is unalterable, or whether it was merely a characteristic of a period which will change when mankind attains its maturity is a matter that will, no doubt, become clear in the future. The important point for Bahá’ís to remember is that, in face of the categorical pronouncements in Bahá’í Scripture establishing the equality of men and women, even these facts are no evidence at all of the superiority of the male over the female sex. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has explained that equality does not mean identity of function. He has also stated that the few areas in which men and women are not equal are "negligible"

April 14

The conflicting political systems and philosophies of the day should neither be praised, nor censured, but the fact should be stressed that whatever the political regime under which it is enforced no purely national programme can be considered as adequate and self-sufficient. It is on the higher plane of international co-operation that the problems and difficulties now facing the world should be discussed and solved, and nothing short of the fire of a universal ordeal can succeed in infusing the right spirit in the hearts of the masses and leaders alike.

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 28 April 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Messages to Canada’)

April 13

The work which the Bahá’í guides at the Temple are called upon to undertake is truly difficult and delicate, and requires such combination of qualities as sound knowledge of the Teachings, ability, tact and wisdom for their adequate and effective presentation as few believers can claim to possess. Only those who are considered well equipped, both intellectually and spiritually, should be selected for this type of work, and it is the duty of the Temple Guide Committee to exercise the utmost care in making such selection.

Those serving as Temple guides should, in all their contacts with the visitors, maintain the full dignity of the Cause, and provide the inquirers with accurate information regarding the Faith, and stress the universal aspects of the Teachings such as world unity, and its various implications. Political questions and all controversial subjects touching current political affairs should be strictly avoided.

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 28 April 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Messages to Canada’)

April 12

He was also considerably rejoiced to know that Mr. and Mrs. Robarts, [John and Audrey Robarts] for whom you [Howard Colby Ives] had asked his special prayers in your last letter, have joined the Toronto Bahá’í Community, and are progressing so well spiritually. He will continue to remember them in his prayers that they may keep on deepening in their devotion and love for the Cause, and that also they may receive ever-widening opportunities of promoting its truth, and of extending its foundations in their centre.

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 22 April 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘Messages to Canada’)

April 11

He feels that although the physicians have found the disease too advanced, and pronounced her condition as hopeless, you should still endeavour, by means of sustained and concentrated prayer, to bring about her cure. Now that no material effort can be of any effectiveness you still have one more way open before you, namely that of prayer, and you should therefore continue to supplicate from all your heart that, if it be Gods Will, your mother may be restored to full health, and regain all her forces.

Bahá’u’lláh has revealed special prayers for both spiritual and material healing, and it is therefore your bounden duty to use such prayers on behalf of your mother, and thus put all your trust in the all-sustaining and all-healing power of God. It matters not whether you are endowed with high spirituality or not. The essential is that you pray with sincerity and with full purity of heart, and with the one desire of knowing and accepting His Will.

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 22 April 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘Messages to Canada’)

April 10

It is…not permitted that any one of the honored members [of Spiritual Assembly] object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously though that decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced.

- ‘Abdu'l-Bahá (Cited in a letter dated 5 March 1922 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, published in ‘Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932’; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, Consultation)

April 9

... the elector ... is called upon to vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired him to uphold ...

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 27 May 1927 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, published in ‘Bahá'í Administration’; The Compilation of Compilation, Vol. III, Sanctity and Nature of Baha’i Elections)

April 8

The honored members [of Spiritual Assembly] must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in no wise permissible for one to belittle the thought of another, nay, he must with moderation set forth the truth, and should differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, and all must obey and submit to the majority.

April 7

Indeed, let them [the Bahá'í youth] welcome with confidence the challenges awaiting them. Imbued with this excellence and a corresponding humility, with tenacity and a loving servitude, today's youth must move towards the front ranks of the professions, trades, arts and crafts which are necessary to the further progress of humankind – this to ensure that the spirit of the Cause will cast its illumination on all these important areas of human endeavour. Moreover, while aiming at mastering the unifying concepts and swiftly advancing technologies of this era of communications, they can, indeed they must, also guarantee the transmittal to the future of those skills which will preserve the marvelous, indispensable achievements of the past. The transformation which is to occur in the functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 8 May 1985 written by Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'í Youth of the World; the Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)

April 6

As the Bahá'í community grows it will acquire experts in numerous fields – both by Bahá'ís becoming experts and by experts becoming Bahá'ís. As these experts bring their knowledge and skill to the service of the community and, even more, as they transform their various disciplines by bringing to bear upon them the light of the Divine Teachings, problem after problem now disrupting society will be answered....

Paralleling this process, Bahá'í institutional life will also be developing, and as it does so the Assemblies will draw increasingly upon scientific and expert knowledge – whether of Bahá'ís or of non-Bahá'ís – to assist in solving the problems of their communities.

In time great Bahá'í institutions of learning, great international and national projects for the betterment of human life will be inaugurated and flourish.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 21 August 1977 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; the Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)

April 5

…without trial or recourse, Bahá’u’lláh was released from prison [Siyah-Chal] and immediately banished from His native land, His wealth and properties arbitrarily confiscated. The Russian diplomatic representative, who knew Him personally and who had followed the Bábí persecutions with growing distress, offered Him his protection and refuge in lands under the control of his government. In the prevailing political climate, acceptance of such help would almost certainly have been misrepresented by others as having political implications.[1] Perhaps for this reason, Bahá’u’lláh chose to accept banishment to the neighboring territory of Iraq, then under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. This expulsion was the beginning of forty years of exile, imprisonment, and bitter persecution.

(From ‘Baha’u’llah’; A statement prepared by the Bahá'í International Community Office of Public Information, at the request of the Universal House of Justice and published in 1992)

[1] There was, understandably, great suspicion in Persia about the intentions of the British and Russian governments, both of which had long interfered in Persian affairs.

April 4

Thou has enquired about the Huqúq. From one's annual income, all expenses during the year are deductible, and on what is left 19% is payable to the Huqúq. Thus, a person hath earned 1,000 income out of his business. After deducting his annual expenses of say 600, he would have a surplus of 400 on which Huqúq is payable at the rate of 19%. This would amount to 76 to be offered for charitable purposes to the Huqúq.

The Huqúq is not levied on one's entire possessions each year. A person's wealth may be worth 100,000. How can he be expected to pay Huqúq on this property every year? For instance, whatever income thou hast earned in a particular year, you should deduct from it your expenses during that year. The Huqúq will then be payable on the remainder. Possessions on which Huqúq was paid the previous year will be exempt from further payment.

- ‘Abdu'l-Bahá’ (From a Tablet; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Huququ’llah)

April 3

Racial and ethnic prejudices have been subjected to equally summary treatment by historical processes that have little patience left for such pretensions. Here, rejection of the past has been especially decisive. Racism is now tainted by its association with the horrors of the twentieth century to the degree that it has taken on something of the character of a spiritual disease. While surviving as a social attitude in many parts of the world—and as a blight on the lives of a significant segment of humankind—racial prejudice has become so universally condemned in principle that no body of people can any longer safely allow themselves to be identified with it.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated April 2002 to “The World’s Religious Leaders”)

April 2

The beleaguered battalions of nationalism face a similar fate. With each passing crisis in world affairs, it becomes easier for the citizen to distinguish between a love of country that enriches one’s life, and submission to inflammatory rhetoric designed to provoke hatred and fear of others. Even where it is expedient to participate in the familiar nationalistic rites, public response is as often marked by feelings of awkwardness as it is by the strong convictions and ready enthusiasm of earlier times. The effect has been reinforced by the restructuring steadily taking place in the international order. Whatever the shortcomings of the United Nations system in its present form, and however handicapped its ability to take collective military action against aggression, no one can mistake the fact that the fetish of absolute national sovereignty is on its way to extinction.

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated April 2002 to “The World’s Religious Leaders”)

April 1

The experience of Divine Revelation, touched on only at secondhand in surviving accounts of the lives of the Buddha, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad, is described graphically in Bahá’u’lláh’s own words:

“During the days I lay in the prison of Tihrán, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear.” (Baha’u’llah, ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)

(From ‘Baha’u’llah’; A statement prepared by the Bahá'í International Community Office of Public Information, at the request of the Universal House of Justice and published in 1992)