May 31

With regard to the question that you had asked, Shoghi Effendi feels that as he has formerly said in Bahá'í meetings it is quite proper for some of the friends to deliver talks, but their speeches must have a direct bearing on the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and our dear Master. It is not absolutely necessary that in all the meetings only the writings and utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and the Master should be read, but when lectures and talks are given they must bear either directly or indirectly on the Cause. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to individual believer, 10 February 1926; compilation: ‘Baha’i Meetings’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

May 30

For a full week a vast number of mourners, rich and poor alike, tarried to grieve with the bereaved family, partaking day and night of the food that was lavishly dispensed by its members. Notables, among whom were numbered Shí’ahs, Sunnís, Christians, Jews and Druzes, as well as poets, ‘ulamás and government officials, all joined in lamenting the loss, and in magnifying the virtues and greatness of Bahá’u’lláh, many of them paying to Him their written tributes, in verse and in prose, in both Arabic and Turkish. From cities as far afield as Damascus, Aleppo, Beirut and Cairo similar tributes were received. These glowing testimonials were, without exception, submitted to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who now represented the Cause of the departed Leader, and Whose praises were often mingled in these eulogies with the homage paid to His Father. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 29

The inconsolable Nabíl, who had had the privilege of a private audience with Bahá’u’lláh during the days of His illness; whom ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had chosen to select those passages which constitute the text of the Tablet of Visitation now recited in the Most Holy Tomb; and who, in his uncontrollable grief, drowned himself in the sea shortly after the passing of his Beloved, thus describes the agony of those days: “Methinks, the spiritual commotion set up in the world of dust had caused all the worlds of God to tremble.... My inner and outer tongue are powerless to portray the condition we were in.... In the midst of the prevailing confusion a multitude of the inhabitants of Akká and of the neighboring villages, that had thronged the fields surrounding the Mansion, could be seen weeping, beating upon their heads, and crying aloud their grief.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 28

The news of His ascension was instantly communicated to Sulṭán ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd in a telegram which began with the words “the Sun of Bahá has set” and in which the monarch was advised of the intention of interring the sacred remains within the precincts of the Mansion, an arrangement to which he readily assented. Bahá’u’lláh was accordingly laid to rest in the northernmost room of the house which served as a dwelling-place for His son-in-law, the most northerly of the three houses lying to the west of, and adjacent to, the Mansion. His interment took place shortly after sunset, on the very day of His ascension. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 27

Six days before He passed away He summoned to His presence, as He lay in bed leaning against one of His sons, the entire company of believers, including several pilgrims, who had assembled in the Mansion, for what proved to be their last audience with Him. “I am well pleased with you all,” He gently and affectionately addressed the weeping crowd that gathered about Him. “Ye have rendered many services, and been very assiduous in your labors. Ye have come here every morning and every evening. May God assist you to remain united. May He aid you to exalt the Cause of the Lord of being.” To the women, including members of His own family, gathered at His bedside, He addressed similar words of encouragement, definitely assuring them that in a document entrusted by Him to the Most Great Branch He had commended them all to His care. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 26

Already nine months before His ascension Bahá’u’lláh, as attested by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, had voiced His desire to depart from this world. From that time onward it became increasingly evident, from the tone of His remarks to those who attained His presence, that the close of His earthly life was approaching, though He refrained from mentioning it openly to any one. On the night preceding the eleventh of Shavval 1309 A.H. (May 8, 1892) He contracted a slight fever which, though it mounted the following day, soon after subsided. He continued to grant interviews to certain of the friends and pilgrims, but it soon became evident that He was not well. His fever returned in a more acute form than before, His general condition grew steadily worse, complications ensued which at last culminated in His ascension, at the hour of dawn, on the 2nd of Dhi’l-Qádih 1309 A.H. (May 29, 1892), eight hours after sunset, in the 75th year of His age. His spirit, at long last released from the toils of a life crowded with tribulations, had winged its flight to His “other dominions,” dominions “whereon the eyes of the people of names have never fallen,” and to which the “Luminous Maid,” “clad in white,” had bidden Him hasten, as described by Himself in the Lawḥ-i-Ru’yá (Tablet of the Vision), revealed nineteen years previously, on the anniversary of the birth of His Forerunner. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 25

Doctrinal unity and administrative unity, these are the two chief pillars that sustain the edifice of the Cause, and protect it from the storms of opposition which so severely rage against it. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated July 10, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 24

A successor or vicegerent the Báb never named, an interpreter of His teachings He refrained from appointing. So transparently clear were His references to the Promised One, so brief was to be the duration of His own Dispensation, that neither the one nor the other was deemed necessary. All He did was, according to the testimony of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in "A Traveller's Narrative," to nominate, on the advice of Bahá'u'lláh and of another disciple, Mirza Yahya, who would act solely as a figure-head pending the manifestation of the  29  Promised One, thus enabling Bahá'u'lláh to promote, in relative security, the Cause so dear to His heart. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

May 23

His [the Báb’s] qualities were so rare in their nobility and beauty, His personality so gentle and yet so forceful, and His natural charm was combined with so much tact and judgment, that after His Declaration He quickly became in Persia a widely popular figure. He would win over almost all with whom He was brought into personal contact, often converting His gaolers to His Faith and turning the ill-disposed into admiring friends. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘Introduction to ‘The Dawn-Breakers’)

May 22

It was about an hour after sunset when my youthful Host [the Báb] began to converse with me. “Whom, after Siyyid Kázim,” He asked me, “do you regard as his successor and your leader?” “At the hour of his death,” I replied, “our departed teacher insistently exhorted us to forsake our homes, to scatter far and wide, in quest of the promised Beloved. I have, accordingly, journeyed to Persia, have arisen to accomplish his will, and am still engaged in my quest.” “Has your teacher,” He further enquired, “given you any detailed indications as to the distinguishing features of the promised One?” “Yes,” I replied, “He is of a pure lineage, is of illustrious descent, and of the seed of Fátimih. As to His age, He is more than twenty and less than thirty. He is endowed with innate knowledge. He is of medium height, abstains from smoking, and is free from bodily deficiency.” He paused for a while and then with vibrant voice declared: “Behold, all these signs are manifest in Me!” He then considered each of the above-mentioned signs separately, and conclusively demonstrated that each and all were applicable to His person. 

- Mulla Husayn  (Quoted by Nabil in ‘The Dawn-Breakers, translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi)

May 21

…the principle of unqualified and whole-hearted loyalty to the revealed Word. The believers should be careful not to deviate, even a hair-breadth, from the Teachings. Their supreme consideration should be to safeguard the purity of the principles, tenets and laws of the Faith. It is only by this means that they can hope to maintain the organic unity of the Cause. There can and should be no liberals or conservatives, no moderates or extremes in the Cause. For they are all subject to the one and the same law which is the Law of God. This law transcends all differences, all personal or local tendencies, moods and aspirations. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated July 10, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 20

…the principle of complete, and immediate obedience to the Assemblies, both local and national. It is the responsibility of these Baha’i administrative bodies to enable the community to acquire, and increasingly deepen in the knowledge and understanding of the Cause. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated July 10, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 19

Regarding voting; it is not only the right but the sacred obligation of every member of any Baha’i administrative body, whether permanent, or temporary like the Convention, to fully and freely exercise this function. Abstention from voting is, as a rule, not advisable, as it implies a shirking of responsibility which every loyal and conscientious believer should consider it a privilege to shoulder. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated March 10, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 18

The N.S.A. should, indeed, advise the believers to lessen their correspondence with the Guardian. But under no circumstances it can prevent them from writing to him. For this is a sacred right and a supreme privilege which every believer can rightly claim to possess, as through it alone he can get in direct touch with his Guardian. If individuals feel, after the advice of the N.S.A. to lessen correspondence, an inner urge to write to the Guardian they should not be prevented or discouraged. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated January 3, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 17

Regarding the use of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s photographs; Shoghi Effendi sees no objection to their circulation. He would, however, suggest that the Paris photograph be used, as well as the American reproduction of it, printed on yellow paper with a quotation from the Kitab-i-Ahd at the bottom. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated October 17, 1935 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

May 16

What Bahá'u'lláh meant primarily with "sciences that begin and end in words" are those theological treatises and commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth. The students would devote their life to their study but still attain no where. Bahá'u'lláh surely never meant to include story- writing under such a category; and shorthand and typewriting are both most useful talents, very necessary in our present social and economic life.

What you could do, and should do, is to use your stories to become a source of inspiration and guidance for those who read them. With such a means at your disposal you can spread the spirit and teachings of the Cause; you can show the evils that exist in society, as well as the way they can be remedied. If you possess a real talent in writing you should consider it as given by God and exert your efforts to use it for the betterment of society. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 30 November 1932, written to an individual believer on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, The Importance of Arts in Promoting the Faith)

May 15

It is often exceedingly difficult, well-nigh impossible to distinguish between true guidance and psychic phenomena. Through the power of concentration, prayer and meditation and the effects produced one can, however, feel the direct spiritual guidance of God. Purity of heart is an indispensable condition. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated January 14, 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Spiritualism, Reincarnation and Related Subjects’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, published in ‘Baha’i Institutions’ a compilation by India Publishing Trust, 1973)

May 14

Once the Parliament of Man is established and its constituent parts organized, the governments of the world having entered into a covenant of eternal friendship will have no need of keeping large standing armies and navies. A few battalions to preserve internal order, and an International Police to keep the highways of the seas clear, are all that will be necessary. Then these huge sums will be diverted to other more useful channels, pauperism will disappear, knowledge will increase, the victories of Peace will be sung by poets and bards, knowledge will improve the conditions and mankind will be rocked in the cradle of felicity and bliss. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (’Star of the West’, vol. 5, no. 8, August 1914; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. II, Peace)

May 13

…social inequality is the inevitable outcome of the natural inequality of men. Human beings are different in ability and should, therefore, be different in their social and economic standing. Extremes of wealth and poverty should, however, be totally abolished. Those whose brains have contributed to the creation and improvement of the means of production must be fairly rewarded, though these means may be owned and controlled by others. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 26 December 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘The Redistribution of Wealth – Some Specific Measures’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

May 12

…Pope Pius IX. It was to him who regarded himself as the Vicar of Christ that Bahá’u’lláh wrote that “the Word which the Son [Jesus] concealed is made manifest,” that “it hath been sent down in the form of the human temple,” that the Word was Himself, and He Himself the Father. It was to him who styling himself “the servant of the servants of God” that the Promised One of all ages, unveiling His station in its plenitude, announced that “He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds.” It was he, who, claiming to be the successor of St. Peter, was reminded by Bahá’u’lláh that “this is the day whereon the Rock [Peter] crieth out and shouteth ... saying: ‘Lo, the Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled.’” It was he, the wearer of the triple crown, who later became the first prisoner of the Vatican, who was commanded by the Divine Prisoner of Akká to “leave his palaces unto such as desire them,” to “sell all the embellished ornaments” he possessed, and to “expend them in the path of God,” and to “abandon his kingdom unto the kings,” and emerge from his habitation with his face “set towards the Kingdom.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Promised Day Is Come’)

May 11

He can only offer you, sincerely, his advice, which is to overcome whatever obstacles are hindering you from active membership in the Bahá’í Community. Man-made things are one thing, and God-given things another. It is not spiritually healthy to recognize the Revelation of God for this age—or at any period in history to recognize a Revelation sent by God for our good and development—and not embrace it. There is no middle course open for the soul who has found the Eternal Beloved. He must serve Him, or he will grow cold and spiritually confused.

As you obviously seem to have taken these teachings to heart he feels you should now become active in the service of the Cause. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a message dated 4 September 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘Messages to Canada’)

May 10

The increase in membership in the Canadian Bahá’í Community this past year was also most encouraging. It shows that there is, primarily, unity among the believers, for where this fundamental quality is lacking in a Bahá’í community any real growth is impossible. That is why the beloved Master so constantly admonished the friends to be as one soul in different bodies, for this love and unity constitutes their spiritual health and gives them the strength to overcome all obstacles in their path. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a message dated 19 June, 1949, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the NSA of Canada; ‘Messages to Canada’)

May 9

The year ahead of us is most auspicious and blessed, for it coincides with the Bicentenary of the Birth of…the Primal Point, the Most Exalted Countenance, the Herald and Harbinger of this spiritual Springtime. This occasion is a time of celebration for everyone throughout the world… 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated Na-Ruz 2019 addressed to the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran – authorized translation)

May 8

Springtime is here once again and the cycle of nature has taken another turn. It is a new and wondrous season, whose essential qualities are the bright light of the sun and vernal showers and breezes, which enable the capacity latent in the earth to be released, the flowers to bloom, the birds to warble, the desert to become verdant, and a fresh spirit to be breathed into the contingent world. This physical spring is reminiscent of the Mystic Spring that arrived once more with the rising of the Sun of Truth above the horizon of the sacred land of Iran, shedding illumination upon east and west. The showers of mercy rained down, the heavenly breezes wafted, the hyacinths of inner meaning sprang forth, and the world of humanity was given life anew and freshness beyond measure. Although this spiritual Springtide is still in the early stages of its effulgence, yet the initial signs of the influence, transformative power, and unifying force of the divine civilization that has been renewed in this wondrous cycle can already be glimpsed throughout the world, especially in those places where the spiritual enterprise has advanced in degrees of progress. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated Naw-Ruz 2019 addressed to the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran – authorized translation)

May 7

By the statement "the economic solution is divine in nature" is meant that religion alone can, in the last resort, bring in man's nature such a fundamental change as to enable him to adjust the economic relationships of society. It is only in this way that man can control the economic forces that threaten to disrupt the foundations of his existence, and thus assert his mastery over the forces of nature.

...social inequality is the inevitable outcome of the natural inequality of men. Human beings are different in ability and should, therefore, be different in their social and economic standing. Extremes of wealth and poverty should, however, be totally abolished. Those whose brains have contributed to the creation and improvement of the means of production must be fairly rewarded, though these means may be owned and controlled by others. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 26 December 1935 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Redistribution of Wealth’, by the Research department of the Universal House of Justice’)

May 6

If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the Kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy; and if it be expended to the benefit of the human world in general — even though it be to their material benefit — and be a means of doing good, that is also acceptable. But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits — then disease were better than such health; nay, death itself were preferable to such a life. If thou art desirous of health, wish thou health for serving the Kingdom. I hope that thou mayest attain perfect insight, inflexible resolution, complete health, and spiritual and physical strength in order that thou mayest drink from the fountain of eternal life and be assisted by the spirit of divine confirmation. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (cited in "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era"; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Some Aspects of Heath, Healing, Nutrition and Related Matters)

May 5

His constant hope is that the believers will conduct themselves, individually and in their Bahá'í Community life, in such a manner as to attract the attention of others to the Cause. The world is not only starving for lofty principles and ideals, it is, above all, starving for a shining example which the Bahá'ís can and must provide. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 22 February 1945 to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Excellence in All Things)

May 4

Following the declaration of His mission in 1863, Bahá’u’lláh began to elaborate a theme already introduced in The Book of Certitude, the relationship between the Will of God and the evolutionary process by which the spiritual and moral capacities latent in human nature find expression. This exposition would occupy a central place in His writings over the remaining thirty years of His life. The reality of God, He asserts, is and will always remain unknowable. Whatever words human thought may apply to the Divine nature relate only to human existence and are the products of human efforts to describe human experience…

(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)

May 3

This great law [consent of parents for marriage] He has laid down to strengthen the social fabric, to knit closer the ties of the home, to place a certain gratitude and respect in the hearts of children for those who have given them life and sent their souls out on the eternal journey towards their Creator. We Bahá'ís must realize that in present-day society the exact opposite process is taking place: young people care less and less for their parents' wishes, divorce is considered a natural right, and obtained on the flimsiest and most unwarrantable and shabby pretexts. People separated from each other, especially if one of them has had full custody of the children, are only too willing to belittle the importance of the partner in marriage also responsible as a parent for bringing those children into this world. The Bahá'ís must, through rigid adherence to the Bahá'í laws and teachings, combat these corrosive forces which are so rapidly destroying home life and the beauty of family relationships, and tearing down the moral structure of society. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 25 October 1947, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States; compilation: ‘Consent of Parents to Marriage’, prepared by the Research Department)

May 2

Against the background of the bloody events in Persia, Bahá’u’lláh not only told His followers that “if ye be slain, it is better for you than to slay,” but urged them to set an example of obedience to civil authority: “In every country where any of this people reside, they must behave towards the government of that country with loyalty, honesty and truthfulness.”

The conditions surrounding Bahá’u’lláh’s departure from Baghdad provided a dramatic demonstration of the potency of these principles. In only a few years, a band of foreign exiles whose arrival in the area had aroused suspicion and aversion on the part of their neighbors had become one of the most respected and influential segments of the population. They supported themselves through flourishing businesses; as a group they were admired for their generosity and the integrity of their conduct; the lurid allegations of religious fanaticism and violence, sedulously spread by Persian consular officials and members of the Shi‘ih Muslim clergy, had ceased to have an effect on the public mind. By May 3, 1863, when He rode out of Baghdad, accompanied by His family and those of His companions and servants who had been chosen to accompany Him to Constantinople, Bahá’u’lláh had become an immensely popular and cherished figure. In the days immediately preceding the leave-taking a stream of notables, including the Governor of the province himself, came to the garden where He had temporarily taken up residence, many of them from great distances, in order to pay their respects. Eyewitnesses to the departure have described in moving terms the acclaim that greeted Him, the tears of many of the onlookers, and the concern of the Ottoman authorities and civil officials to do their visitor honor. 

(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)

May 1

Bahá'u'lláh wrote voluminously about the purpose of this mysterious force and its transformative effects, but the essence can be drawn from these few perspicuous words: "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 worldwide regeneration." And again: "A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive." And yet again: "He Who is the Unconditioned is come, in the clouds of light, that He may quicken all created things with the breezes of His Name, the Most Merciful, and unify the world, and gather all men around this Table which hath been sent down from heaven." 

- The Universal House of Justice  (May 1992, tribute to Bahá'u'lláh from the Universal House of Justice, on the occasion of the Centenary Commemoration at Bahji of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh; compilation: ‘Science and Technology’, compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and attached to a Memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, dated 13-August 1997)