March 31

... of course the Bahá’ís can and should meditate upon the significances of the writings, and endeavour to grasp their meaning to the uttermost. There can be no possible objection to this. However, certain things are, by their very nature, a mystery to us, at least in our present stage of development. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 14 January 1942 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Prayer and Devotional Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, February 2019)

March 29

‘Abdu’l-Bahá once said: “The worshipper must pray with a detached spirit, unconditional surrender of the will, concentrated attention and spiritual fervour….  Automatic, formal prayers which do not touch the core of the heart are of no avail.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 19 October 1925 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Prayer and Devotional Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, February 2019)

March 27

In Iran the officially recognized religious minorities are the adherents of the Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian Faiths, although the Baha'is outnumber them all.  The enemies of the Cause in Iran consider the Baha'is as heretical, a 'sect," "cult," or similar group. This is because the Muslims, unlike Baha'is who believe in progressive and continuous divine revelation, believe that no prophet will appear after Muhammad. Therefore, whenever Baha'is are referred to as a sect or group, the friends should try to remove this misunderstanding and proclaim the independent nature of the Faith to the non-Baha'i public.

The Baha'is are also accused of being against Islam, whereas it is easy to explain to the public that we believe that all religions of the past, including Islam, are divine in origin and are revered and respected by the followers of Baha'u'llah. Indeed, the Author of this Revelation Himself states this fact time and time again in His Writings. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated 26 February 1979 written on behalf of the Universal House of justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

March 25

“... the Teachings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha do not present a definite and detailed educational system, but simply offer certain basic principles and set forth a number of teaching ideals that should guide future Baha'i educationalists in their efforts to formulate an adequate teaching curriculum which would be in full harmony with the spirit of the Baha'i Teachings, and would thus meet the requirements and needs of the modern age.

“These basic principles are available in the sacred Writings of the Cause, and should be carefully studied, and gradually incorporated in various college and university programmes. But the task of formulating a system of education which would be officially recognized by the Cause, and enforced as such throughout the Baha'i world, is one which the present-day generation of believers cannot obviously undertake, and which has to be gradually accomplished by Baha'i scholars and educationalists of the future.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer on 7 June 1939; quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 31 August 1976; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, ‘1963-1986’)

March 23

A small community, whose members are united by their shared beliefs, characterized by their high ideals, proficient in managing their affairs and tending to their needs, and perhaps engaged in several humanitarian projects—a community such as this, prospering but at a comfortable distance from the reality experienced by the masses of humanity, can never hope to serve as a pattern for restructuring the whole of society.  That the worldwide Bahá’í community has managed to avert the dangers of complacency is a source of abiding joy to us.  Indeed, the community has well in hand its expansion and consolidation.  Yet, to administer the affairs of teeming numbers in villages and cities around the globe—to raise aloft the standard of Bahá’u’lláh’s World Order for all to see—is still a distant goal.

Therein, then, lies the challenge that must be faced by those in the forefront of the learning process which will continue to advance over the course of the next Plan.  Wherever an intensive programme of growth is established, let the friends spare no effort to increase the level of participation.  Let them strain every nerve to ensure that the system which they have so laboriously erected does not close in on itself but progressively expands to embrace more and more people….  And let them not forget the lessons of the past which left no doubt that a relatively small band of active supporters of the Cause, no matter how resourceful, no matter how consecrated, cannot attend to the needs of communities comprising hundreds, much less thousands, of men, women and children. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 28 December 2010 to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors; compilation: ‘Social Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2020, online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

March 21

No detailed elaboration has been found in the Writings of the points covered in the statement by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which you quoted in your letter; the statement must be perceived in the total context of the Tablet from which it was excerpted. It gives emphasis to the requisites for the training of the young from their earliest years to enable them to meet the challenges of adult life and to contribute towards maintaining the norms of a balanced, progressive society; and it underscores the serious consequences that may be normally expected if due attention is not given to such requisites.  In a society wholly regulated by the laws and ordinances brought by Bahá’u’lláh it will be easier to appreciate the framework in which these requisites will produce their maximum effect.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement, it should be noted, refers to attempts made by others.  It does not refer to the individual’s own efforts to learn and refine his own character.  Fortunately, there exist the repeated promises in our sacred writings of the dispensations of God’s mercy which are accessible to errant souls, and we have proof from the lives of the heroes of the Faith, as well as from those of ordinary people, of the power of one’s faith in God to change behaviour.  As you know, a principal purpose for the coming of the Manifestation is to transform the character of individuals and, through them, the character of society as a whole.  Thus He lays down laws and ordinances which enable such a broad change to occur; the ideal end is achieved gradually through individual struggle, trial and error, and, above all, steadfast faith in God. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 4 June 1984 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Family Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, revised March 2008)

[1] The statement of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is as follows: “It is extremely difficult to teach the individual and refine his character once puberty is passed.”  See Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, paragraph 111.7

March 19

As noted in the Ridván message, social change is not a project that one group of people carries out for the benefit of another. The scope and complexity of social action, the message explains, must be commensurate with the human resources available in a village or neighbourhood to carry it forward. This implies that efforts best begin on a modest scale and grow organically as capacity within the population develops—essentially capacity to apply with increasing effectiveness elements of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, together with the contents and methods of science, to social reality. In this light, the House of Justice has made clear in many of its recent messages that, at the present stage in the development of the Faith, building capacity to address the material needs of a local community should not be considered in isolation from a process already set in motion to address its spiritual needs. This process, of course, gathers momentum as devotional meetings, children’s classes, junior youth groups and study circles are established in a region.  It is directed by the institutions and agencies of the Faith and depends heavily on the exercise of initiative by a growing number of individuals in the region concerned for the well-being of their communities. It is such individuals—men and women, young and old—who, thus empowered, begin to make and implement decisions about their spiritual and material progress, increasing still further their collective capacity as they do so. Depending on the circumstances in the region, the endeavours of a non-profit development organization, operating in keeping with the principles of the Faith, may well help to facilitate this now more complex process of empowerment unfolding in the region.  Such an organization, which itself emerges organically and grows in strength over time, functions under the moral guidance of the institutions in the country. Those most intimately involved with the organization by necessity submit themselves to the discipline needed to ensure that their efforts constantly serve to contribute to the empowerment of a population, requiring them to work close to the grassroots, alongside the people themselves; to share in their struggles; and to recognize that economic benefits will be few. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 18 April 2010 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Social Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2020, online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

March 17

One of the excuses given by Muslims for hostility to the Faith is the location of our world administrative centre in Israel; in the conflict between some Islamic nations and Israel, the Baha'is have been accused of being Zionists. It should be made clear that Baha'is, who believe in the oneness of humanity and who do not show enmity to any nation, people or creed, cannot take sides in any political controversy. As promoters of genuine love and proclaimers of the unity of mankind, taking sides in such disputes would be diametrically opposed to their religious beliefs. It can be explained, whenever necessary, that Baha'u'llah was sent, in 1868, as a Prisoner to the Holy Land by the Ottoman Emperor. For the remainder of His life He was a Prisoner and Exile, and He subsequently passed away near 'Akka in 1892. The holiest Shrines of the Baha'i Faith, around which its world administrative centre has been established, are situated in the Holy Land because of events which occurred more than half a century before the establishment of Israel and other countries in this part of the world as independent nations. Holy Shrines of the Muslims, Christians and Jews are also located in the Holy Land. Therefore, it is simple enmity to attack the Baha'i Faith on the basis of the geographical location of its World Centre. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 26 February 1979 written on behalf of the Universal House of justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

March 15

Courtesy, reverence, dignity, respect for the rank and achievements of others are virtues which contribute to the harmony and well-being of every community, but pride and self-aggrandizement are among the most deadly of sins.

The House of Justice hopes that all the friends will remember that the ultimate aim in life of every soul should be to attain spiritual excellence -- to win the good pleasure of God. The true spiritual station of any soul is known only to God. It is quite a different thing from the ranks and stations that men and women occupy in the various sectors of society. Whoever has his eyes fixed on the goal of attaining the good pleasure of God will accept with joy and radiant acquiescence whatever work or station is assigned to him in the Cause of God, and will rejoice to serve Him under all conditions. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 27 March 1978 written on its behalf to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

March 13

In reading the compilation [on Baha’i education] the friends should bear the above explanation in mind and not interpret as a universal instruction what may, in fact, be simply an example of the sort of course that could advantageously be followed. For example, the quotations from the Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the letters of Shoghi Effendi written in the early years of his Guardianship were addressed to the Baha'is in Persia when that community, although oppressed, was already large in numbers, and was living in a society where schooling was rudimentary and scarce. At the present time in most countries, compulsory education and state school systems are widespread and meet the general need for material education, so the resources of the Faith in that field have to be concentrated on the spiritual and moral education of our children and on providing primary and tutorial schools in mass-teaching areas where illiteracy is still the rule. Also, the various extracts must be read in the context of the whole. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 31 August 1976: To all National Spiritual Assemblies regarding new compilation on Baha’i education; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, ‘1963-1986’)

March 11

First and foremost, one should use every possible means to purge one's heart and motives, otherwise, engaging in any form of enterprise would be futile. It is also essential to abstain from hypocrisy and blind imitation, inasmuch as their foul odour is soon detected by every man of understanding and wisdom. Moreover, the friends must observe the specific times for the remembrance of God, meditation, devotion and prayer, as it is highly unlikely, nay impossible, for any enterprise to prosper and develop when deprived of divine bestowals and confirmation. One can hardly imagine what a great influence genuine love, truthfulness and purity of motives exert on the souls of men. But these traits cannot be acquired by any believer unless he makes a daily effort to gain them... 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 19 December 1923 to the Baha’is of the East - translated from Persian, included in compilation: ‘Living the Life’; also in compilation: ‘Give Me Thy Grace to Serve Thy Loved Ones’, prepared by the International Teaching Centre for the Continental Counsellors and their Auxiliaries, May 2018)

March 9

One day in His [Baha’u’llah’s] presence, when illness had confined Him to bed, Táhirih, regarded as the fair and spotless emblem of chastity and the incarnation of the holy Fátimih, appeared suddenly, adorned yet unveiled, before the assembled companions, seated herself on the right-hand of the affrighted and infuriated Quddús, and, tearing through her fiery words the veils guarding the sanctity of the ordinances of Islám, sounded the clarion-call, and proclaimed the inauguration, of a new Dispensation. The effect was electric and instantaneous. She, of such stainless purity, so reverenced that even to gaze at her shadow was deemed an improper act, appeared for a moment, in the eyes of her scandalized beholders, to have defamed herself, shamed the Faith she had espoused, and sullied the immortal Countenance she symbolized. Fear, anger, bewilderment, swept their inmost souls, and stunned their faculties. ‘Abdu’l-Kháliq-i-Isfahání, aghast and deranged at such a sight, cut his throat with his own hands. Spattered with blood, and frantic with excitement, he fled away from her face. A few, abandoning their companions, renounced their Faith. Others stood mute and transfixed before her. Still others must have recalled with throbbing hearts the Islamic tradition foreshadowing the appearance of Fátimih herself unveiled while crossing the Bridge (sirát) on the promised Day of Judgment. Quddús, mute with rage, seemed to be only waiting for the moment when he could strike her down with the sword he happened to be then holding in his hand.

Undeterred, unruffled, exultant with joy, Táhirih arose, and, without the least premeditation and in a language strikingly resembling that of the Qur’án, delivered a fervid and eloquent appeal to the remnant of the assembly, ending it with this bold assertion: “I am the Word which the Qá’im is to utter, the Word which shall put to flight the chiefs and nobles of the earth!” Thereupon, she invited them to embrace each other and celebrate so great an occasion.

On that memorable day the “Bugle” mentioned in the Qur’án was sounded, the “stunning trumpet-blast” was loudly raised, and the “Catastrophe” came to pass. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

March 7

A mere reference to the claims which, in vehement language and with compelling power, He [Baha’u’llah] Himself has repeatedly advanced cannot but fully demonstrate the character of the Revelation of which He was the chosen bearer. To the words that have streamed from His pen—the fountainhead of so impetuous a Revelation—we should, therefore, direct our attention if we wish to obtain a clearer understanding of its importance and meaning. Whether in His assertion of the unprecedented claim He has advanced, or in His allusions to the mysterious forces He has released, whether in such passages as extol the glories of His long-awaited Day, or magnify the station which they who have recognized its hidden virtues will attain, Bahá’u’lláh and, to an almost equal extent, the Báb and ‘Abdu’l Bahá, have bequeathed to posterity mines of such inestimable wealth as none of us who belong to this generation can befittingly estimate. 

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

March 5

They [NSA members] should never be led to suppose that they are the central ornaments of the body of the Cause, intrinsically superior to others in capacity or merit, and sole promoters of its teachings and principles. They should approach their task with extreme humility, and endeavour by their open-mindedness, their high sense of justice and duty, their candour, their modesty, their entire devotion to the welfare and interests of the friends, the Cause, and humanity, to win not only the confidence and the genuine support and respect of those whom they should serve, but also their esteem and real affection. ... 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 27 March 1978 written on its behalf to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’; also in ‘Baha’i Administration’)

March 3

The proper education of children is of vital importance to the progress of mankind, and the heart and essential foundation of all education is spiritual and moral training. When we teach our fellowmen the truths and way of life of the Baha'i Faith we have to struggle against barriers of indifference, materialism, superstition and a multitude of erroneous preconceptions; but in our new-born children we are presented with pure souls, untarnished by the world. As they grow they will face countless tests and difficulties. From their earliest moments we have the duty to train them, both spiritually and materially, in the way that God has shown, and thus, as they come to adulthood, they can become champions of His Cause and spiritual and moral giants among mankind, equipped to meet all tests, and will be, indeed, "stars of the heaven of understanding," "soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 31 August 1976: To all National Spiritual Assemblies regarding new compilation on Baha’i education; Messages from the Universal House of Justice, ‘1963-1986’)

March 1

The laws of God regarding fasting and obligatory prayer are absolutely incumbent upon His servants. Therefore, they must turn their faces to the Point of Adoration of the celestial Concourse, hold fast to the most sublime Station, and pray and supplicate that they may be freed from the doubts of misinterpretation. This is the way of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This is the religion of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This is the path of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Whoever cherisheth the love of Bahá, let him choose this straight path. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Compilation ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; published in The American Baha'i, September 2000)