The Bahá'í Faith, like all other Divine religions, is thus
fundamentally mystic in character. Its chief goal is the development of the
individual and society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and
powers. It is the soul of man that has first to be fed. And this spiritual
nourishment prayer can best provide. Laws and institutions, as viewed by
Bahá'u'lláh, can become really effective only when our inner spiritual life has
been perfected and transformed. Otherwise religion will degenerate into a mere
organization, and become a dead thing.
The believers, particularly the young ones, should therefore
realize fully the necessity of praying. For prayer is absolutely indispensable to
their inner spiritual development, and this… is the very foundation and purpose
of the religion of God.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to
an individual believer on 8 December 1935, quoted by the Universal House of
Justice in a letter dated 12 June 1984 written on its behalf to an individual
believer; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)
