October 31

In accepting Bahá’u’lláh you have accepted Christ in His appearance as the Father, as He Himself so clearly foretold. The Catholic Church does not believe this; on the contrary, it still awaits the return of Christ. If you decide, in order to be buried next to your dear husband, to return to the Church, you either would have to, in good faith, deny Bahá’u’lláh or you would be just using the church as a means to satisfy a desire of your own, which would certainly not be an upright and conscientious thing to do.

When you think that your husband’s soul is now free of the limitations of this world, and that he no doubt is beginning to see religious truth in its true light and to appreciate the station of Bahá’u’lláh, you should ask yourself whether he would wish you to leave the truth for this day and re-enter the church just for the sake of your dust being near his dust. Your spirit, when you pass away, will be near his spirit; of what importance, then, is the body? He will pray for your guidance in this matter. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’)

October 29

It is good for the Bahá’ís to learn that being a Bahá’í is essentially an inner thing, or way of life, and not dependent on fixed patterns. Important as our organized Institutions are, they are not the Faith itself. The strength of the Cause grows no matter how much disrupted its activities may temporarily be. This we see over and over again, in lands where the Faith has been temporarily banned; at times when the believers are persecuted and even killed; where they are serving all alone or scattered and isolated. So it has been a stimulating experience for the American believers to be without their schools for a few years, rather than a depressing one. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’) 

October 27

There are two kinds of Bahá’ís, one might say: those whose religion is Bahá’í and those who live for the Faith. Needless to say if we can belong to the latter category, if we can be in the vanguard of heroes, martyrs and saints, it is more praiseworthy in the sight of God. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’)

October 25

They [“the members of the Universal House of Justice”] are to follow, in a prayerful attitude, the dictates and promptings of their conscience. They may, indeed they must, acquaint themselves with the conditions prevailing among the community, must weigh dispassionately in their minds the merits of any case presented for their consideration, but must reserve for themselves the right of an unfettered decision. “God will verily inspire them with whatsoever He willeth,” is Bahá’u’lláh’s incontrovertible assurance. They, and not the body of those who either directly or indirectly elect them, have thus been made the recipients of the divine guidance which is at once the life-blood and ultimate safeguard of this Revelation. 

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

October 23

As regards the question of what procedure the Bahá’í Assemblies should adopt when dissatisfied with the services of any of their officers, should such dissatisfaction involve the loyalty of an Assembly officer to the Faith, he should, following a majority vote be dismissed. But in case the dissatisfaction is due to the incompetence of a member, or simply to a neglect on his part to discharge his duties, this does not constitute sufficient justification to force his resignation or dismissal from the Assembly. He should be kept in office until new elections are held. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 22 November 1940 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a Spiritual Assembly; ‘The Unfolding Destiny, The Messages from the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith to the Baha’i Community of the British Isles)

October 21

While the believers, he feels, should exert every effort to obtain from the authorities a permit exempting them from active military service in a combatant capacity, it is their duty at the same time, as loyal and devoted citizens, to offer their services to their country in any field of national service which is not specifically aggressive or directly military. Such forms of national work as air raid precaution service, ambulance corps, and other humanitarian work or activity of a non-combatant nature, are the most suitable types of service the friends can render, and which they should gladly volunteer for, since in addition to the fact that they do not involve any violation of the spirit or principle of the Teachings, they constitute a form of social and humanitarian service which the Cause holds sacred and emphatically enjoins. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 27 November 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a Spiritual Assembly; ‘The Unfolding Destiny, The Messages from the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith to the Baha’i Community of the British Isles)

October 19

The world around us is seething with unrest caused by the conflicting interests of governments, peoples, races and individuals. Each of these contending parties has some good and some evil on its side, and, whereas we will unhesitatingly uphold Bahá’i principles, we will never become embroiled in these internecine conflicts by identifying ourselves with one or other of the parties, however much in our hearts we may sympathize with its aims. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 18 August 1985, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly; included in a letter dated 26 February 2021, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; US Baha’i National Administrative website)

October 17

The believers must discriminate between the two extremes of bringing people into the Cause before they have fully grasped its fundamentals and making it too hard for them, expecting too much of them, before they accept them. This requires truly keen judgment, as it is unfair to people to allow them to embrace a movement the true meaning of which they have not fully grasped. It is equally unfair to expect them to be perfect Bahá’ís before they can enter the Faith. Many teaching problems arise out of these two extremes... 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’)

October 15

What is needed to achieve success in the teaching field is a complete dedication on the part of the individual, consecration to the glorious task of spreading the Faith, and the living of the Bahá'í life, because that creates the magnet for the Holy Spirit, and it is the Holy Spirit which quickens the new soul. Thus, the individual should be as a reed, through which the Holy Spirit may flow, to give new life to the seeking soul.

One should search out those who are receptive to the Faith, and then concentrate on those persons in their teaching. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 18 December 1953, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘High Endeavors: Letters to Alaska’)

October 13

One conspicuous symptom of society’s deepening malaise is the steady descent of public discourse into greater rancour and enmity, reflecting entrenched partisan points of view. A prevalent feature of such contemporary discourse is how political disagreements rapidly degenerate into invective and ridicule. However, what particularly differentiates the present age from those that preceded it is how so much of this discourse occurs in full view of the world. Social media and related communication tools tend to give the greatest exposure to all that is controversial, and the very same tools allow individuals, in an instant, to disseminate more widely whatever catches their attention and to register their support or opposition to various sentiments, whether explicitly or tacitly. The unparalleled ease with which a person can join in such public debate and the nature of the technology make momentary lapses of judgement and incautious actions more likely and their residue more enduring.

This holds particular implications for Bahá’ís, who know well that the principles of their Faith require them to refrain from involvement in political controversies and conflicts of all kinds. "Speak thou no word of politics" was the counsel of ' Abdu'l-Bahá to one believer, adding, "Except to speak well of them, make thou no mention of the earth’s kings, and the worldly governments thereof.” Shoghi Effendi warned against allowing our vision of the Cause to be clouded "by the stain and dust of worldly happenings, which, no matter how glittering and far-reaching in their immediate effects, are but the fleeting shadows of an imperfect world". While the importance of keeping at a distance from all politically divisive issues is well known to the friends, their engagement with pressing social issues, motivated by a commendable and sincere wish to be of service to those around them, can present them with difficult situations. An unexpected development can turn an uncontroversial issue into one that divides people along partisan lines, and some of the same unhealthy modes of expression that are common to the political sphere can transfer into other areas of discourse. Especially in the uninhibited realm of social media, wrongs—both real and imagined—are quickly magnified, and a variety of feelings are easily stirred: righteous indignation perhaps, or a desire to promote one’s point of view, or an eagerness to be seen as the source of new information. Much that is taken to be harmless, or even well-intentioned, is, on closer examination, serving to deepen social divides, fuel differences between opposing groups, and perpetuate disagreements, driving away possibilities for consensus and the search for solutions. If one person’s contribution seems provocative or objectionable, reacting to it may have the effect of unwittingly strengthening and increasing the exposure of the original sentiment, and exacerbating matters. The followers of the Blessed Beauty must be conscious and conscientious users of any technology they decide to utilize and must apply insight and spiritual discipline. They should look to the lofty standards of the Cause to guide them at all times in the way they express themselves. Bahá’u’lláh states:

October 11

When a person becomes a Bahá’í, he gives up the past only in the sense that he is a part of this new and living Faith of God, and must seek to pattern himself, in act and thought, along the lines laid down by Bahá’u’lláh. The fact that he is by origin a Jew or a Christian, a black man or a white man, is not important any more, but, as you say, lends color and charm to the Bahá’í community in that it demonstrates unity in diversity. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’)

October 9

Concerning the best method of presenting the Master’s Will to the newcomers, Shoghi Effendi is of the opinion that the N.S.A. should first make some suitable extracts from the Testament and to send these to all the local Assemblies for their use, so that there may be full unity in circulating the provisions of the Will among the new believers. The problem of choosing such excerpts is left entirely to the discretion of the N.S.A. The main thing, as it appears to the Guardian, is that the full station of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá be clearly explained and that the origin, nature and working of the Administrative Order of the Faith be clearly stated. The full implications of such a recognition are evidently beyond the comprehension of any new believer. Such a knowledge can be acquired gradually and only when the essentials of the Faith have been clearly recognized and adequately understood. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; ‘Directives from the Guardian’)

October 7

It is also important to remember that this is the Formative Age of the Faith and, as Shoghi Effendi stated, “the promised glories” envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh “can be revealed only in the fullness of time”; it is our test and privilege at this juncture to learn how to systematically propagate His teachings and translate them into effective action as a remedy for the world’s multiplying ills. You are therefore encouraged not to become disheartened or discouraged by any problems you may encounter but, rather, see them as opportunities for learning and progress. This can be challenging, especially if we feel that our fellow believers are not living up to the teachings in the way we understand them. However, we should bear in mind that, despite any general difficulties, each believer has the obligation to strive to do what is right. Thus, as Shoghi Effendi explained:

“You must not make the great mistake of judging our Faith by one community which obviously needs to study and obey the Bahá’í teachings. Human frailties and peculiarities can be a great test. But the only way, or perhaps I should say the first and best way, to remedy such situations, is to oneself do what is right. One soul can be the cause of the spiritual illumination of a continent. Now that you have seen, and remedied, a great fault in your own life, now that you see more clearly what is lacking in your own community, there is nothing to prevent you from arising and showing such an example, such a love and spirit of service, as to enkindle the hearts of your fellow Bahá’ís.

“He urges you to study deeply the teachings, teach others, study with those Bahá’ís who are anxious to do so, the deeper teachings of our Faith, and through example, effort and prayer, bring about a change.” (From a letter dated 30 September 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter date 29 July 2021, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; US Baha’i National Administrative website)

October 5

The Guardian makes the following suggestions with regard to teaching in virgin areas, at this critical time:

1. No publicity should be secured.

2. No articles should be placed in newspapers or magazines.

3. Do not contact Authorities or Political Leaders.

4. Do not discuss Government policies in any way.

5. No effort should be made toward a public proclamation of the Faith.

6. Proceed with great caution.

7. Be very wise in the manner in which the Teachings of the Faith are presented.

8. Make friends, and when these friends gain confidence in you and you in them, gradually confirm them in the Faith.

9. What is needed is a complete reliance upon Bahá'u'lláh; pure consecration to the Faith, and then energetic but wise presentation of the Divine teachings. Such selfless sacrificial devotion will attract the divine confirmations, and gradually you will confirm souls who will join you as strong supporters of the Faith in your area. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 7 December 1953 to all pioneers, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘High Endeavors: Letters to Alaska’)

October 3

To answer you briefly what the original state of the universe was no one as yet knows. But we believe God is a spiritual Being and did create it; how we do not know. We will have experience of God's spirit through His Prophets in the next world, but God is too great for us to know without this Intermediary. The Prophets know God, but how is more than our human minds can grasp. We believe we attain in the next world to seeing the Prophets. There is certainly a future life. Heaven and hell are conditions within our own beings. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 14 November 1947, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘High Endeavors: Letters to Alaska’)

October 1

There is such a confusion in the world today, so much uncertainty, so much materialism, that it is very hard to hold the attention of even the more spiritually minded people. But we must persevere and do our best knowing this is our duty and that conditions will eventually change completely and follow Bahá'u'lláh's Pattern. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 16 May 1947, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘High Endeavors: Letters to Alaska’)