Humanity – Assistance; “Dispel this darksome cloud”; Protection; “quicken the lifeless hearts”; “refresh this withered plant”

O Divine Providence! Bestow Thine aid and vouchsafe Thine assistance. Dispel this darksome cloud and disperse this obscuring mist. Waft Thy life-giving breezes and quicken the lifeless hearts. Rain down the showers of Thy mercy and refresh this withered plant. Cause the bowers of human hearts to become the gardens of the all-glorious Paradise and the realities of human souls to become the meadows of the Concourse on high. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Included in a message from the Universal House of Justice dated 14 May 2009 to the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Departed – for Robert Turner

O Thou Provider, O Thou Forgiver! Exalt dearly loved Robert [1] in Thy Kingdom and, in the garden of the Abhá Paradise, make him an intimate of the birds of the meadow. O All-Knowing God! While that innocent soul was black in colour, he was, like unto the black pupil of the eye, a source of radiant light.

O Thou Forgiving Lord! Enable that yearning soul to behold Thee and cause that thirsty one to drink his fill of the water of life. Thou art the Bestower, the Pardoner, the Loving. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’; online Baha’i Reference Library, Baha’i World Centre)

[1] Robert Turner: The first African American Bahá’í and one of the nineteen Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Departed – “Make these precious souls companions of the inmates of Heaven, and admit them into the circle of Thy chosen ones”

He is God.

O Thou forgiving Lord! These servants were noble souls, and these radiant hearts were made illumined and resplendent through the light of Thy guidance. They drank a brimming cup of the wine of Thy love, and gave ear to eternal mysteries imparted by the melodies of Thy knowledge. They bound their hearts to Thee, broke free from the snare of estrangement, and laid hold of Thy unity. Make these precious souls companions of the inmates of Heaven, and admit them into the circle of Thy chosen ones. Make them intimates of Thy mysteries in the retreats of the realm above, and immerse them in the sea of lights. Thou art the Bestower, the Luminous, and the Kind. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual (woman) – “nourish me with the wine of Thy knowledge and the living waters of Thy love and pleasure”

O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from Thee is death unto them that have recognised Thy truth!

I beseech Thee by the sighs which they whose souls pant after Thee have uttered in their remoteness from Thy court, and by the cries of such of Thy lovers as bemoan their separation from Thee, to nourish me with the wine of Thy knowledge and the living waters of Thy love and pleasure. Behold Thy handmaiden, O my Lord, who hath forgotten all else except Thee, and who hath delighted herself with Thy love, and lamented over the things that have befallen Thee at the hands of the wicked doers among Thy creatures. Do Thou ordain for her that which Thou didst ordain for such of Thy handmaidens as circle round the throne of Thy majesty, and gaze, at eventide and at dawn, on Thy beauty.

Thou art, verily, the Lord of the Judgement Day. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah)

The Fast: Individual & Believers – “cast me not away from the gate of the city of Thy presence”; Nearness; “attract me by the fragrance of Thy raiment”; Service; “enable me to gaze on the Daystar of Thy Beauty”; Assistance; “grant that I may die to all that I possess and live to whatsoever belongeth unto Thee”; ”aid me to remember Thee amongst Thy creatures, and to extol Thee amidst Thy people”; “remove me far from whatsoever Thy will abhorreth”; “make known unto me what lay hid in the treasuries of Thy knowledge”; ”number me with such as have attained unto that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book”; Steadfastness; Forgiveness

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy mighty Sign, and by the revelation of Thy grace amongst men, to cast me not away from the gate of the city of Thy presence, and to disappoint not the hopes I have set on the manifestations of Thy grace amidst Thy creatures. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy most sweet Voice and by Thy most exalted Word, to draw me ever nearer to the threshold of Thy door, and to suffer me not to be far removed from the shadow of Thy mercy and the canopy of Thy bounty. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by the splendor of Thy luminous brow and the brightness of the light of Thy countenance, which shineth from the all-highest horizon, to attract me by the fragrance of Thy raiment, and make me drink of the choice wine of Thine utterance. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

Group & Humanity – Assistance; Humanity: “new thoughts, new life”; “new perceptions, and…new virtues”; Acceptance at God’s threshold

O Thou kind God! In the utmost state of humility and submission do we entreat and supplicate at Thy threshold, seeking Thine endless confirmations and illimitable assistance. O Thou Lord! Regenerate these souls, and confer upon them a new life. Animate the spirits, inform the hearts, open the eyes, and make the ears attentive. From Thine ancient treasury confer a new being and animus, and from Thy preexistent abode assist them to attain to new confirmations.

O God! Verily, the world is in need of reformation. Bestow upon it a new existence. Give it newness of thoughts, and reveal unto it heavenly sciences. Breathe into it a fresh spirit, and grant unto it a holier and higher purpose.

O God! Verily, Thou hast made this century radiant, and in it Thou hast manifested Thy merciful effulgence. Thou hast effaced the darkness of superstitions and permitted the light of assurance to shine. O God! Grant that these servants may be acceptable at Thy threshold. Reveal a new heaven, and spread out a new earth for habitation. Let a new Jerusalem descend from on high. Bestow new thoughts, new life upon mankind. Endow souls with new perceptions, and confer upon them new virtues. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. Thou art the Giver, the Generous. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)

Ayyam-i-Há

My God, my Fire and my Light! The days which Thou hast named the Ayyám-i-Há [1] in Thy Book have begun, O Thou Who art the King of names, and the Fast which Thy most exalted Pen hath enjoined unto all who are in the kingdom of Thy creation to observe is approaching. I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by these days and by all such as have during that period clung to the cord of Thy commandments, and laid hold on the handle of Thy precepts, to grant that unto every soul may be assigned a place within the precincts of Thy court, and a seat at the revelation of the splendors of the light of Thy countenance.

These, O my Lord, are Thy servants whom no corrupt inclination hath kept back from what Thou didst send down in Thy Book. They have bowed themselves before Thy Cause, and received Thy Book with such resolve as is born of Thee, and observed what Thou hadst prescribed unto them, and chosen to follow that which had been sent down by Thee.

Thou seest, O my Lord, how they have recognized and confessed whatsoever Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures. Give them to drink, O my Lord, from the hands of Thy graciousness the waters of Thine eternity. Write down, then, for them the recompense ordained for him that hath immersed himself in the ocean of Thy presence, and attained unto the choice wine of Thy meeting.

I implore Thee, O Thou the King of kings and the Pitier of the downtrodden, to ordain for them the good of this world and of the world to come. Write down for them, moreover, what none of Thy creatures hath discovered, and number them with those who have circled round Thee, and who move about Thy throne in every world of Thy worlds.

Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

[1] The Intercalary Days: Days of preparation for the Fast, days of hospitality, charity, and the giving of presents.

Individual & Group – Mercy; Protection; Assistance; Service

Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God!... I am the one, O my Lord, that hath held fast the cord of Thy mercy which hath surpassed the entire creation. I am the one that hath clung to the hem of Thy loving-kindness, O Thou in Whose hand is the empire of all names!

Have mercy upon me and upon all them that are in my company, through the wonders of Thy grace and power. Shield us, then, O my God, from the mischief of Thine enemies, and assist us to help Thy Faith, and to protect Thy Cause, and to celebrate Thy glory. Thou art, verily, He Who from everlasting hath inhabited the inaccessible heights of His unity, and will continue to remain the same for ever and ever. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Thy knowledge, nor is there anything that can frustrate Thee. No God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the Ever-Faithful, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved.

Lauded and glorified art Thou, in Whose hand is the empire of all things! 

-Baha’u’llah‘  (Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)

Individual – Detachment; “tidings of joy”; “captivate me with Thy love”; Steadfastness

O Thou kind Lord! Sanctify my heart from all attachment, and gladden my soul with tidings of joy. Free me from attachment to friend and stranger alike, and captivate me with Thy love, that I may become wholly devoted to Thee and be filled with fervid rapture; that I may desire naught but Thee, seek no one except Thyself, tread no other path besides Thine, and commune only with Thee; that I may, even as a nightingale, be spellbound by Thy love and, by day and night, sigh and wail and weep and cry out, “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá!” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Youth – Blessings; Spiritual growth; “may be freed from error”; Service; “may guide the wayward”; “awaken the heedless”

O Lord! Make this youth radiant and confer Thy bounty upon this poor creature. Bestow upon him knowledge, grant him added strength at the break of every morn and guard him within the shelter of Thy protection so that he may be freed from error, may devote himself to the service of Thy Cause, may guide the wayward, lead the hapless, free the captives and awaken the heedless, that all may be blessed with Thy remembrance and praise. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Youth)

Group & Children (revealed on Mount Carmel) – “Forgive our sins”; “Shield us within The shelter of Thy protection”; “Guard and preserve these two little children”; “nurture them in the embrace of Thy Love”

From America, that distant country, we hastened to the Holy Land and directed our steps toward this blessed Spot. We attained unto the two blessed and sacred Thresholds and obtained boundless grace therefrom. We have now come to Mount Carmel, which is Thy sacred garden. Most of the Prophets turned to Thee in prayer upon this holy mountain, communing with Thee in the utmost humility at the midnight hour.

O Lord! We are now in this blessed place. We beseech Thine infinite bounties and long for a joyous and tranquil conscience. We desire firmness in the Covenant and seek Thy good-pleasure to our last breath.

O Lord! Forgive our sins and bestow upon us Thy manifold favours. Shield us within The shelter of Thy protection. Guard and preserve these two little children and nurture them in the embrace of Thy Love. Thou art the Forgiver, the Resplendent, the Ever-Loving. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Departed (parents): “Immerse the father and mother of this servant of Thy Threshold in the ocean of Thy forgiveness”

O Divine Providence! Immerse the father and mother of this servant of Thy Threshold in the ocean of Thy forgiveness, and purge and sanctify them from every sin and transgression. Grant them Thy forgiveness and mercy, and bestow upon them Thy gracious pardon. Thou, verily, art the Pardoner, the Ever-Forgiving, the Bestower of abundant grace.

O Thou forgiving Lord! Though we are sinners, yet our hopes are fixed upon Thy promise and assurance. Though we are enveloped by the darkness of error, yet we have at all times turned our faces to the morn of Thy bountiful favours. Deal with us as beseemeth Thy Threshold, and confer upon us that which is worthy of Thy Court. Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner, He Who overlooketh every shortcoming. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Departed - “Exalt the station of this recently arrived guest“; “Grant Thy forgiveness and tender care”

O Thou Provider, O Thou Forgiver! A noble soul hath ascended unto the Kingdom of reality, and hastened from the mortal world of dust to the realm of everlasting glory. Exalt the station of this recently arrived guest, and attire this long-standing servant with a new and wondrous robe.

O Thou Peerless Lord! Grant Thy forgiveness and tender care so that this soul may be admitted into the retreats of Thy mysteries and may become an intimate companion in the assemblage of splendours. Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, the Ever-Loving. Thou art the Pardoner, the Tender, the Most Powerful. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

The Long Healing Prayer – Healing: - “Heal Thou, then, by it every sick, diseased and poor one, from every tribulation and distress, from every loathsome affliction and sorrow:; Protection: - “protect the bearer of this blessed Tablet, and whoso reciteth it, and whoso cometh upon it, and whoso passeth around the house wherein it is”; Guidance: - “guide Thou by it whosoever desireth to enter upon the paths of Thy guidance, and the ways of Thy forgiveness and grace”

He is the Healer, the Sufficer, the Helper, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

I call on Thee O Exalted One, O Faithful One, O Glorious One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Sovereign, O Upraiser, O Judge! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Peerless One, O Eternal One, O Single One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Most Praised One, O Holy One, O Helping One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Omniscient, O Most Wise, O Most Great One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Clement One, O Majestic One, O Ordaining One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Beloved One, O Cherished One, O Enraptured One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Mightiest One, O Sustaining One, O Potent One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Ruling One, O Self-Subsisting, O All-Knowing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Spirit, O Light, O Most Manifest One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Thou Frequented by all, O Thou Known to all, O Thou Hidden from all! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Concealed One, O Triumphant One, O Bestowing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Almighty, O Succoring One, O Concealing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

I call on Thee O Fashioner, O Satisfier, O Uprooter! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!

Individual – Healing: “to keep safe him who hath held fast and returned unto Thee”; “Send down, then, upon him Thy healing, and make him whole”; “endue him with a constancy vouchsafed by Thee, and a tranquillity bestowed by Thy highness”

Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thy Name, through which Thou didst lift up the ensigns of Thy guidance, and didst shed the radiance of Thy loving-kindness, and didst reveal the sovereignty of Thy Lordship; through which the lamp of Thy names hath appeared within the niche of Thine attributes, and He Who is the Tabernacle of Thy unity and the Manifestation of detachment hath shone forth; through which the ways of Thy guidance were made known, and the paths of Thy good pleasure were marked out; through which the foundations of error have been made to tremble, and the signs of wickedness have been abolished; through which the fountains of wisdom have burst forth, and the heavenly table hath been sent down; through which Thou didst preserve Thy servants and didst vouchsafe Thy healing; through which Thou didst show forth Thy tender mercies unto Thy servants and revealedst Thy forgiveness amidst Thy creatures—I implore Thee to keep safe him who hath held fast and returned unto Thee, and clung to Thy mercy, and seized the hem of Thy loving providence. Send down, then, upon him Thy healing, and make him whole, and endue him with a constancy vouchsafed by Thee, and a tranquillity bestowed by Thy highness.

Thou art, verily, the Healer, the Preserver, the Helper, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual (woman) – Healing: “Attire her…with the raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing”; “Protect her, moreover, from every affliction and ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee.”

Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of Thee by Thy Name through which He Who is Thy Beauty hath been stablished upon the throne of Thy Cause, and by Thy Name through which Thou changest all things, and gatherest together all things, and callest to account all things, and rewardest all things, and preservest all things, and sustainest all things—I beg of Thee to guard this handmaiden who hath fled for refuge to Thee, and hath sought the shelter of Him in Whom Thou Thyself art manifest, and hath put her whole trust and confidence in Thee.

She is sick, O my God, and hath entered beneath the shadow of the Tree of Thy healing; afflicted, and hath fled to the City of Thy protection; diseased, and hath sought the Fountainhead of Thy favors; sorely vexed, and hath hasted to attain the Wellspring of Thy tranquillity; burdened with sin, and hath set her face toward the court of Thy forgiveness.

Attire her, by Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, O my God and my Beloved, with the raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing, and make her quaff of the cup of Thy mercy and Thy favors. Protect her, moreover, from every affliction and ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee.

Thou, in truth, art immensely exalted above all else except Thyself. Thou art, verily, the Healer, the All-Sufficing, the Preserver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – “Thy name is my healing”

Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Healing: “Deliver me from the ills that have encircled me”; “wash me thoroughly with the waters of Thy graciousness and mercy”; “attire me with the raiment of wholesomeness”

I am but a poor creature, O my Lord; I have clung to the hem of Thy riches. I am sore sick; I have held fast the cord of Thy healing. Deliver me from the ills that have encircled me, and wash me thoroughly with the waters of Thy graciousness and mercy, and attire me with the raiment of wholesomeness, through Thy forgiveness and bounty. Fix, then, mine eyes upon Thee, and rid me of all attachment to aught else except Thyself. Aid me to do what Thou desirest, and to fulfill what Thou pleasest.

Thou art truly the Lord of this life and of the next. Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Departed – “to vouchsafe unto Thy newly welcomed one Thy gifts and Thy bestowals, and the fruits of the tree of Thy grace”

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of loving-kindness and bounty!

Glory be unto Thee, Thou, O my God, the Lord Omnipotent. I testify to Thine omnipotence and Thy might, Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, Thy grace and Thy power, the oneness of Thy Being and the unity of Thine Essence, Thy sanctity and exaltation above the world of being and all that is therein.

O my God! Thou seest me detached from all save Thee, holding fast unto Thee and turning unto the ocean of Thy bounty, to the heaven of Thy favor, to the Daystar of Thy grace.

Lord! I bear witness that in Thy servant Thou hast reposed Thy Trust, and that is the Spirit wherewith Thou hast given life to the world.

I ask of Thee, by the splendor of the Orb of Thy Revelation, mercifully to accept from him that which he hath achieved in Thy days. Grant then that he may be invested with the glory of Thy good-pleasure and adorned with Thine acceptance.

O my Lord! I myself and all created things bear witness unto Thy might, and I pray Thee not to turn away from Thyself this spirit that hath ascended unto Thee, unto Thy heavenly place, Thine exalted Paradise and Thy retreats of nearness, O Thou Who art the Lord of all men!

Grant, then, O my God, that Thy servant may consort with Thy chosen ones, Thy saints and Thy Messengers in heavenly places that the pen cannot tell nor the tongue recount.

Departed (women) – “to cast upon Thy handmaiden…the glances of the eye of Thy mercy”; “Robe her in the mantle of Thy grace”; “Cause her to dwell in a blissful abode”; “grant her admission to Thy holy Paradise”

O Lord, O Thou Whose mercy hath encompassed all, Whose forgiveness is transcendent, Whose bounty is sublime, Whose pardon and generosity are all-embracing, and the lights of Whose forgiveness are diffused throughout the world! O Lord of glory! I entreat Thee, fervently and tearfully, to cast upon Thy handmaiden who hath ascended unto Thee the glances of the eye of Thy mercy. Robe her in the mantle of Thy grace, bright with the ornaments of the celestial Paradise, and, sheltering her beneath the tree of Thy oneness, illumine her face with the lights of Thy mercy and compassion.

Bestow upon Thy heavenly handmaiden, O God, the holy fragrances born of the spirit of Thy forgiveness. Cause her to dwell in a blissful abode, heal her griefs with the balm of Thy reunion, and, in accordance with Thy will, grant her admission to Thy holy Paradise. Let the angels of Thy loving-kindness descend successively upon her, and shelter her beneath Thy blessed Tree. Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual & Believers: - Praise: “Hallowed and sanctified art Thou! Immeasurably high, exalted, and glorified art Thou!”; Believers: "Help them attain unto every good Thou hast ordained in Thine all-glorious Kingdom.”

He is the All-Glorious.

Glorified art Thou, O God! The least of the signs of Thy Kingdom is, under all conditions, sanctified above all description and praise, and every single reality in Thy dominion is exalted beyond the highest tributes of the people of the world; for the very essence of remembrance is wholly removed from the One remembered, and the inner reality of all praise remaineth veiled from the One praised. The signs of Thy dominion, in their very essence, are immeasurably exalted above the reckoning of the exponents of praise, and are sanctified beyond the grasp of them that are endued with understanding. The most eminent of sages have acknowledged their failure in this regard, confessing that their minds can fathom only that which is within the measure of human capacity and commensurate with the power of the birds of mortal thought when soaring in the heights of knowledge.

O my God! Given such clear and evident powerlessness, such plain and manifest poverty in recognizing the least of the signs of Thy dominion in the world of creation, how then can I unloose my tongue to make mention of Thine attributes and to proclaim Thy virtues? How can I speak forth Thy praise and celebrate Thy glory in Thy presence? How can I extol the evidences of being and the realities of existence that are found in the world of allusions and the realm of creation?

Prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Baha for ‘Abdu’l-Baha

He is God.

O Thou Whose exalted Threshold is my haven and my refuge, Whose hallowed Sanctuary is my shelter and my abode! I entreat Thee, with a heart aglow with the fire of Thy love, and with eyes streaming with tears in my longing to attain Thy presence, in my yearning to gain admittance into the Kingdom of Thy glory, and in my desire to taste the sweetness of faithfulness to Thee, to graciously aid this servant through the breaths of Thy holiness and the delight of communion with Thee. Render victorious, O my God, by the hosts of Thine all-glorious Kingdom and the waves of the seas of Thine all-encompassing bounty, this servant of Thine, who is enraptured by the company of Thine angels on high and enkindled with the fire of Thy love amidst Thy servants. He is engaged in serving Thy Cause amongst the peoples of the world, and in magnifying Thy name before the ministers and rulers. He is occupied in diffusing Thy sweet savours in gatherings held in remembrance of Thee, and hath hoisted Thy banner amidst the masses. He hath turned his face towards the Court of Thy grandeur, and is illumined with the light of unwavering constancy in Thy Covenant and Testament. He is striving to enable all to remain steadfast in that which Thou hast enjoined upon the entire company of Thy chosen ones, which Thou hast foreordained for them that are dear to Thee, and with which Thou hast sealed Thine ultimate decree.

O Lord! Assist him through Thine invisible hosts, and strengthen him with the might of Thy holy angels. Make him a brilliant star, a radiant orb, a manifest light, a breeze from the meadows of Thy glory, a fragrance from the flowers of the plain of Thy mercy, a ray of light from Thy divine Kingdom, a bright beam from the sun of the heaven of Thy Oneness, and a standard rippling on the summits of Thy great majesty and singleness. O Lord! Strengthen his loins by Thy triumphant might, and sustain him amidst the people through Thy glorious sovereignty. Grant that all hearts may be attracted to him, all minds astounded in his presence, and all ears made attentive to his utterance; that, moreover, all eyes may turn their gaze towards his cheerful countenance and all hearts marvel at the brightness of his face. Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate, the All-Loving. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; ‘Light of the World’)

Prayer for one’s mother – “Forgive the sins of my loving mother”; “pardon her shortcomings”

O Thou forgiving God! Forgive the sins of my loving mother, pardon her shortcomings, cast upon her the glance of Thy gracious providence, and enable her to gain admittance into Thy Kingdom.

O God! From the earliest days of my life she educated and nurtured me, yet I did not recompense her for her toil and labours. Do Thou reward her by granting her eternal life and making her exalted in Thy Kingdom.

Verily, Thou art the Forgiver, the Bestower, and the Kind. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Departed – “kindled that light in the glass of the Concourse on high”; “joined that precious river to the mighty sea”

He is God!

O peerless Lord! Praised be Thou for having kindled that light in the glass of the Concourse on high, for having guided that bird of faithfulness to the nest of the Abhá Kingdom. Thou hast joined that precious river to the mighty sea, Thou hast returned that spreading ray of light to the Sun of Truth. Thou hast welcomed that captive of remoteness into the garden of reunion, and led him who longed to look upon Thee to Thy presence in Thy bright place of lights.

Thou art the Lord of tender love, Thou art the last goal of the yearning heart, Thou art the dearest wish of the martyr’s soul. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Believers (men) - Blessing; “give a portion of Thy bounty”; Assistance; “plenteousness and abundance”

O God! Grant Thy favour, and bestow Thy blessing. Vouchsafe Thy grace, and give a portion of Thy bounty. Enable these men to witness during this year the fulfilment of their hopes. Send down Thy heavenly rain, and provide Thy plenteousness and abundance. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Believer (woman) - “to be exalted in both worlds”; “turn away from this mortal world of dust”; “heavenly power”; Service

O Lord! Help this daughter of the Kingdom to be exalted in both worlds; cause her to turn away from this mortal world of dust and from those who have set their hearts thereon and enable her to have communion and close association with the world of immortality. Give her heavenly power and strengthen her through the breaths of the Holy Spirit that she may arise to serve Thee.

Thou art the Mighty One. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Prayer Christ said while on the cross

O My beloved Lord, how long wilt Thou abandon Me to them? Lift Me up unto Thee, shelter Me close to Thee, make Me a dwelling by Thy throne of glory. Verily art Thou the Answerer of prayers, and Thou art the Clement, the Merciful. O My Lord! Verily this world with all its vastness can no longer contain Me, and I love this cross, out of love for Thy beauty, and yearning for Thy realm on high, and because of this fire, fanned by the gusts of Thy holiness, aflame within My heart. Help me, O Lord, to ascend unto Thee, sustain Me that I may reach unto Thy sacred Threshold, O My loving Lord! Verily Thou art the Merciful, the Possessor of great bounty! Verily Thou art the Generous! Verily Thou art the Compassionate! Verily Thou art the All-Knowing! There is none other God save Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful!'

- Jesus Christ  (Quoted by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in 'Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha')

Prayer for “every government that acteth justly towards its subjects and every sovereign authority… that shieldeth the poor and the weak under the banner of its protection.”

O my God! O Thou Who endowest every just power and equitable dominion with abiding glory and everlasting might, with permanence and stability, with constancy and honour! Aid Thou by Thy heavenly grace every government that acteth justly towards its subjects and every sovereign authority, derived from Thee, that shieldeth the poor and the weak under the banner of its protection.

I beseech Thee, by Thy divine grace and surpassing bounty, to aid this just government, the canopy of whose authority is spread over vast and mighty lands and the evidences of whose justice are apparent in its prosperous and flourishing regions. Assist, O my God, its hosts, raise aloft its ensigns, bestow influence upon its word and its utterance, protect its lands, increase its honour, spread its fame, reveal its signs, and unfurl its banner through Thine all-subduing power and Thy resplendent might in the kingdom of creation.

Thou, verily, aidest whomsoever Thou willest, and Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the Most Powerful. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Spiritual growth; “Unlock before my face the doors of abundance, grant me deliverance, and sustain me”; “to be entirely devoted” to God; Steadfastness

O God, my God! Give me to drink from the cup of Thy bestowal and illumine my face with the light of guidance. Make me firm in the path of faithfulness, assist me to be steadfast in Thy mighty Covenant, and suffer me to be numbered with Thy chosen servants. Unlock before my face the doors of abundance, grant me deliverance, and sustain me, through means I cannot reckon, from the treasuries of heaven. Suffer me to turn my face toward the countenance of Thy generosity and to be entirely devoted to Thee, O Thou Who art merciful and compassionate! To those that stand fast and firm in Thy Covenant Thou, verily, art gracious and generous. All praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Prayer for a married couple

He is the All-Glorious.

O ye two closely knit and enlightened birds! Praise ye God that in the divine garden, upon the tree of hope, ye have sought shelter within the same nest and are engaged together in extolling and sanctifying the incomparable Lord. Wherefore, lift up the voice of the spirit and sing ye this song of glorification and praise:

O Lord! We are but feeble birds, yet we abide within the shelter of Thy protection.  We are lowly fowls dwelling upon the dust, but we seek Thy mighty abode. Broken-winged are we, yet do we yearn to soar unto Thy sublime summits and Thy retreats of celestial glory. Wherefore, bestow upon us Thy favour and grant us Thy strength, that we may acquire wings of felicity, may take flight in this limitless space, and become intimates of Thy Kingdom of Glory. Grant Thou that, through the union of these two unrestrained birds, a flock of the meadows of truth may emerge and soar within the lands of divine unity. 

Upon you be greetings and praise. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘To Set the World in Order: Building and Preserving Strong Marriages', prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2023)

Departed – “to forgive the sins”; “Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light.”; “Cause them to enter the garden of happiness”

O my God! O Thou forgiver of sins, bestower of gifts, dispeller of afflictions!

Verily, I beseech Thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world.

O my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Assistance “to heal the sick”

He is God.

O God, my God! I have set my face towards Thee, and supplicate the outpourings of the ocean of Thy healing. Graciously assist me, O Lord, to serve Thy people and to heal Thy servants. If Thou dost aid me, the remedy I offer will become a healing medicine for every ailment, a draught of life-giving waters for every burning thirst, and a soothing balm for every yearning heart. If Thou dost not aid me, it will be naught but affliction itself, and I will scarcely bring healing to any soul.

O God, my God! Aid and assist me through Thy power to heal the sick. Thou art, verily, the Healer, the Sufficer, He Who is the remover of every pain and sickness, He Who hath dominion over all things. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Marriage – “make their marriage to be a cause of loftiness, honour, perfection, light, and mercy for evermore”

O God, my God! Bless Thou the two parties to this marriage, this Thy servant and this Thy handmaiden, both of whom believe in Thy oneness, testify to Thy unity, and are attracted to Thy Kingdom. Ordain for them every good and make their marriage to be a cause of loftiness, honour, perfection, light, and mercy for evermore. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Compassionate, and Thou art He Who is loving and kind to His handmaidens and servants. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘To Set the World in Order: Building and Preserving Strong Marriages', prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2023)

Individual – Spiritual sustenance; Steadfastness

Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art He Whom all things worship and Who worshipeth no one, Who is the Lord of all things and is the vassal of none, Who knoweth all things and is known of none. Thou didst wish to make Thyself known unto men; therefore, Thou didst, through a word of Thy mouth, bring creation into being and fashion the universe. There is none other God except Thee, the Fashioner, the Creator, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.

I implore Thee, by this very word that hath shone forth above the horizon of Thy will, to enable me to drink deep of the living waters through which Thou hast vivified the hearts of Thy chosen ones and quickened the souls of them that love Thee, that I may, at all times and under all conditions, turn my face wholly towards Thee.

Thou art the God of power, of glory and bounty. No God is there beside Thee, the Supreme Ruler, the All-Glorious, the Omniscient. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)

Married couple – “set firm their feet in eternal love and everlasting union”; “Bestow upon them pure and goodly offspring who shall stand firm in servitude unto Thee”

O God, my God! Join in accord these two souls and set firm their feet in eternal love and everlasting union, in order that each of them may be unto the other a bestowal of Thy grace, a token of Thy loving-kindness, and an outpouring from Thy Kingdom of bounty. Bestow upon them pure and goodly offspring who shall stand firm in servitude unto Thee, remain constant in Thy worship, yearn for Thy Kingdom, and be filled with inspiration by Thy Great Announcement. Verily Thou art the Most Bountiful, and verily Thou art the Merciful, the Compassionate.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘To Set the World in Order: Building and Preserving Strong Marriages', prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2023)

Individual – “brighten mine eyes and gladden my heart”

O Thou by Whose name the sea of joy moveth and the fragrance of happiness is wafted! I ask Thee to show me from the wonders of Thy favour that which shall brighten mine eyes and gladden my heart. Thou, verily, art the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Marriage – “O Lord, bind them together in Thy name, through which Thou hast subdued the hearts and attracted the souls.”

Praised be God, Who hath adorned the heaven of love with the stars of unity and harmony, and hath ordained that in the world of being marriage be the chief instrument for the realization of that which He hath purposed for the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Verily, He hath raised up regions and countries, and hath revealed the arts and sciences, and whatsoever ye witness today or have heard from His learned servants in the past. Exalted be the Lord of Names, He Who hath enjoined marriage as a comfort unto His servants and His people, and as a means for their peace and tranquillity in His dominion. Thus hath it been revealed from the heaven of His sanctity in His Most Holy Book, as well as in His Books and Scriptures in former times and more recently. Verily, potent is He to accomplish His purpose, and He is the One, the Incomparable, the Unconstrained….

O Lord!  I beseech Thee by the gentle winds of the dawn of Thy Manifestation, through which Thou hast vivified all created things, and by the outpourings of Thy grace, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and wisdom, to assist him who hath turned unto Thee and through whom Thou hast manifested Thy grace and Thy loving-kindness, and whom Thou hast, as a token of Thy bounty and a sign of Thy grace, favoured with one of Thy maidservants who hath been engaged in serving Thee for a number of years. O Lord, bind them together in Thy name, through which Thou hast subdued the hearts and attracted the souls. Verily, potent art Thou to do as Thou desirest, and in Thy grasp are held the reins of all that are in heaven and on earth. Praised be Thou, O Lord of the worlds and the Desire of all them that have recognized Thee! 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘To Set the World in Order: Building and Preserving Strong Marriages', prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2023)

Individual – Spiritual growth; “captivate me by the love of Thy beauty”; “Waft upon me the breath of the Holy Spirit”; Detachment; Obedience; Teaching; Assistance

O Divine Providence! Awaken me and make me conscious. Cause me to be detached from all else save Thee, and captivate me by the love of Thy beauty. Waft upon me the breath of the Holy Spirit, and suffer me to hearken to the call of the Abhá Kingdom. Bestow upon me heavenly power, and kindle the lamp of the spirit within the innermost chamber of my heart. Release me from every bond, and deliver me from every attachment, that I may cherish no desire except Thy good-pleasure, seek naught besides Thy Countenance, and tread no path other than Thy path. Grant that I may enable the heedless to become mindful and the slumberers to awaken, that I may proffer the water of life to those who are sore athirst and bring divine healing to those who are sick and ailing.

Though I am lowly, abased, and poor, yet Thou art my haven and my refuge, my supporter and my helper. Send down Thine aid in such wise that all may be astounded. O God! Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Giver, the Bestower, and the All-Seeing.  

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Assistance; Service; Steadfastness

O God of Mercy! O Thou Omnipotent One! I am but a feeble servant, weak and helpless, but I have been nurtured within the shelter of Thy grace and favour, nourished from the breast of Thy mercy, and reared in the bosom of Thy loving-kindness. O Lord! Poor and needy though I be, yet every needy one is made prosperous through Thy bounty, while every wealthy one, if bereft of Thy favours, is indeed poor and desolate.

O Divine Providence! Grant me the strength to bear this heavy burden, and enable me to safeguard this supreme bestowal, for so strong is the force of tests and so grievous the onslaught of trials that every mountain is scattered in dust, and the highest peak reduced to nothing. Thou knowest full well that in my heart I seek naught but Thy remembrance, and in my soul I desire nothing save Thy love. Raise me up to serve Thy loved ones, and let me abide forever in servitude at Thy Threshold. Thou art the Loving. Thou art the Lord of manifold bounties. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Twenty-six Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá; A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing: Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Humanity – Revealed during WWI

O kind God! Hearken to the cry of these helpless nations! O pure Lord, show Thy pity to these orphaned children! O incomparable Almighty, stop this destructive torrent! O Creator of the world and the inhabitants thereof, cause the extinction of this burning fire! O Listener to our cries, come to the rescue of the orphans! O Ideal Comforter, console the mothers whose hearts are torn and whose souls are filled with the blood of irremediable loss! O Clement and Merciful, grant the blessing of Thy grace to the weeping eyes and burning hearts of the fathers. Restore calmness to this surging tempest and change this world-encircling war into Peace and Conciliation.

Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent and the Powerful and, verily, Thou art the Seer and the Hearer! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Star of the West’, vol. 5, no. 16, December 12, 1914; translated on October 4, 1914)

Humanity & Believers – Unity; Sacrifice; Detachment; Tranquility; Spiritual character

Bring them together again, O Lord, by the power of Thy Covenant, and gather their dispersion by the might of Thy Promise, and unite their hearts by the dominion of Thy Love; and make them love each other so that they may sacrifice their spirits, expend their money, and scatter themselves for the love of one another. O Lord, cause to descend upon them quietness and tranquility! Shower upon them the Clouds of Thy Mercy in great abundance, and make them to characterize themselves with the characteristics of the Spiritual!

O Lord, make us firm in Thy noble command, and bestow upon us Thy Gifts through Thy Bounty, Grace and Munificence.

Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Merciful and Benevolent. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Star of the West’, vol. 5, no. 15, December 12, 1914)

Prayer for departed (woman) – “Overlook her shortcomings; confer upon her Thy Grace!”

Endear thou this maidservant of Thy Threshold… in the Kingdom of Thy Holiness, and submerge her in the Ocean of Sight. Overlook her shortcomings; confer upon her Thy Grace! Vouchsafe her Thy Purity in the Court of the Paradise of Abha! Bestow upon her Eternal Life and suffer her to become the manifestor of infinite bestowals in the meeting of transfiguration. Verily Thou art the Generous! The Pardoner and the Compassionate. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 13, November 4, 1914)

Individual – “Sanctify… mine entire being from turning unto anyone but Thee”

Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Sanctify mine eye, and mine ear, and my tongue, and my spirit, and my heart, and my soul, and my body, and mine entire being from turning unto anyone but Thee. Give me then to drink from the cup that brimmeth with the sealed wine of Thy glory. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Thanksgiving: “at all times and render Thee praise under all conditions”

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of might and grandeur!

O God, my God! I yield Thee thanks at all times and render Thee praise under all conditions.

In prosperity, all praise is Thine, O Lord of the Worlds, and in its absence, all gratitude is Thine, O Desire of them that have recognized Thee!

In adversity, all honour is Thine, O Adored One of all who are in heaven and on earth, and in affliction, all glory is Thine, O Enchanter of the hearts of those who yearn after Thee!

In hardship, all praise is Thine, O Thou the Goal of them that seek after Thee, and in comfort, all thanksgiving is Thine, O Thou whose remembrance is treasured in the hearts of those who are nigh unto Thee!

In wealth, all splendour is Thine, O Lord of them that are devoted to Thee, and in poverty, all command is Thine, O Thou the Hope of them that acknowledge Thy unity!

In joy, all glory is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in sorrow, all beauty is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!

In hunger, all justice is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in satiety, all grace is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!

In my homeland, all bounty is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in exile, all decree is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!

Under the sword, all munificence is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in the safety of home, all perfection is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!

In the lofty mansion, all generosity is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and upon the lowly dust, all favour is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!

In prison, all fidelity is Thine, O Thou the Bestower of gifts, and in confinement, all eternity is Thine, O Thou Who art the ever-abiding King!

All bounty is Thine, O Thou Who art the Lord of bounty, and the Sovereign of bounty, and the King of bounty! I bear witness that Thou art to be praised in Thy doings, O Thou Source of bounty, and to be obeyed in Thy behests, O Thou Ocean of bounty, He from Whom all bounty doth proceed, He to Whom all bounty doth return! 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Prayer for removing “perplexing difficulties” and “formidable obstacles”

O Divine Providence! Perplexing difficulties have arisen and formidable obstacles have appeared. O Lord! Remove these difficulties and show forth the evidences of Thy might and power. Ease these hardships and smooth our way along this arduous path. O Divine Providence! The obstacles are unyielding, and our toil and hardship are conjoined with a myriad adversities. There is no helper save Thee, and no succourer except Thyself.  We set all our hopes on Thee, and commit all our affairs unto Thy care. Thou art the Guide and the Remover of every difficulty, and Thou art the Wise, the Seeing, and the Hearing. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing.’)

Group – “Grant them a haven and a refuge within the shelter of Thy protection, and shield them from tests and trials.”; “infallible grace”; “ sustaining power of the Holy Spirit”

O Thou kind Lord!  These souls are Thy friends who are gathered together and are carried away by Thy love. They are transported by the rays of Thy beauty and captivated by Thy musk-laden locks. They have surrendered their hearts to Thee and, lowly and helpless, wander in Thy path. They have forsaken friend and stranger alike and have laid hold of Thy unity, bowing in adoration before Thee.

They belonged to this nether world; Thou didst welcome them into Thy Kingdom.  They were as withered plants in the wilderness of deprivation and loss; Thou didst make them the saplings of the garden of knowledge and understanding. Their voices were stilled; Thou didst cause them to speak forth. They were dispirited; Thou didst shed illumination upon them. They were as parched and barren soil; Thou didst turn them into a rose-garden of inner meanings. They were as children in the world of humanity; Thou didst enable them to attain heavenly maturity.

O Thou kind One! Grant them a haven and a refuge within the shelter of Thy protection, and shield them from tests and trials. Lend them Thine invisible assistance, and confer upon them Thine infallible grace.

O Thou kind and beloved Lord! They are as the body, and Thou art the Spirit of life.  The body is dependent for its freshness and beauty upon the grace of the spirit.  They stand, therefore, in need of Thy confirmations and yearn for the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit in this new Revelation. Thou art the Mighty. Thou art the Giver, the Provider, the Bestower, and the Forgiver. Thou art the One Who shineth brightly from the invisible Realm. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘A selection of prayers prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and released in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's passing.’; Online Baha'i Reference Library of the Baha'i World Center)

Individual – “In regard to his affairs, let him repeat nineteen times… then reflect upon the matter and undertake whatever cometh to mind”

In regard to his affairs, let him repeat nineteen times: “Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all save Thee and cleaving unto Thee. Guide me, then, in all mine affairs unto that which profiteth me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the station of Thy loved ones.” Let him then reflect upon the matter and undertake whatever cometh to mind. This vehement opposition of the enemies will indeed give way to supreme prosperity. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Believers – “to assist Thy servants and Thy handmaidens to become steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise in Thy service”

O my God! O my God! I testify that this is Thy Day which hath been mentioned in Thy Books, Thy Epistles, Thy Psalms and Thy Tablets. In it Thou hast manifested that which was hidden in Thy Knowledge and stored up in the repositories of Thine unfailing protection. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world, by Thy Most Great Name whereby the limbs of the people were shaken, to assist Thy servants and Thy handmaidens to become steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise in Thy service.

Verily, Thou art potent to do whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. Thou protectest whomsoever Thou willest through Thy Power and Dominion. And verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Praise & gratitude; Nearness to God; “to appear from me… that which is worthy of Thee”

Praise be to Thee, O my God! Thou didst call me, and I answered Thee. Thou didst summon me, and I hastened unto Thee, entering beneath the shade of Thy mercy and seeking shelter at the threshold of the door of Thy grace. Thou hast nurtured me, O Lord, through Thy providence, chosen me for Thee alone, created me for Thy service, and appointed me to stand before Thee. I beseech Thee, by Thine all-glorious Name and by Thy beauty that hath dawned above the horizon of Thy most exalted Essence, to cause me to be related to Thee even as Thou hadst done so aforetime, and not to separate me from Thyself. Cause then to appear from me, O my God, that which is worthy of Thee. Thou art, in truth, powerful over all things. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

“Bestow…Thy forgiveness and pardon, and grant Thy mercy unto all”

O Thou forgiving Lord! Although some souls have spent the days of their lives in ignorance, and became estranged and contumacious, yet, with one wave from the ocean of Thy forgiveness, all those encompassed by sin will be set free. Whomsoever Thou willest Thou makest a confidant, and whosoever is not the object of Thy choice is accounted a transgressor. Shouldst Thou deal with us with Thy justice, we are all naught but sinners and deserving to be shut out from Thee, but shouldst Thou uphold mercy, every sinner would be made pure and every stranger a friend. Bestow, then, Thy forgiveness and pardon, and grant Thy mercy unto all.

Thou art the Forgiver, the Lightgiver and the Omnipotent. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – “brighten mine eyes and gladden my heart”

O Thou by Whose name the sea of joy moveth and the fragrance of happiness is wafted! I ask Thee to show me from the wonders of Thy favour that which shall brighten mine eyes and gladden my heart. Thou, verily, art the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Believers – Praise; Confirmation; Attraction; Rejuvenation; Transformation

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou whose Seas of Bestowals are waving and whose Breezes of Providence are wafting over all those who have arisen to promote Thy Word amongst mankind and are hastening towards the city of self-sacrifice with a heart overflowing with love and fidelity and a tongue eloquent with the praise of Thy Abha Beauty!

O Lord! Confirm whoever opens his mouth in the explanation of Thy Cause; arises in the diffusion of Thy Fragrances, from whose lips flows the irresistible torrents of evidence in the elucidation of Thy Religion; waves like unto the surging of the mighty ocean; sings like unto the singing of the golden-tongued nightingale in the Garden of Thy Knowledge, and roars like unto the roaring of the lion in the Forest of Thy Favor.

O Lord! Cause them to quaff from the goblet which is filled with the Wine of Thy Guidance, exhilarate them with the intoxication of Thy Elixir, suffer them to speak of Thy most incontrovertible proofs, inspire them with irrefragable evidences and demonstrations and teach them the essences of wisdom and understanding.

Verily, thou art the Clement, Thou art the Confirmer, the Powerful, the Mighty and the Omnipotent, and verily there is no God beside the Lord of Grace and Mercy!

' Abdu'l-Baha (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 14, November 23, 1914)

Individual & Humanity – “Open Thou, O my Lord, mine eyes and the eyes of all them that have sought Thee, that we may recognize Thee with Thine own eyes”

Open Thou, O my Lord, mine eyes and the eyes of all them that have sought Thee, that we may recognize Thee with Thine own eyes. This is Thy bidding given us in the Book sent down by Thee unto Him Whom Thou hast chosen by Thy behest, Whom Thou hast singled out for Thy favor above all Thy creatures, Whom Thou hast been pleased to invest with Thy sovereignty, and Whom Thou hast specially favored and entrusted with Thy Message unto Thy people. Praised be Thou, therefore, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast graciously enabled us to recognize Him and to acknowledge whatsoever hath been sent down unto Him, and conferred upon us the honor of attaining the presence of the One Whom Thou didst promise in Thy Book and in Thy Tablets. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Prayers and Meditations of Baha’u’llah’)

Individual – Protection; “the good of both this world and the next”; “station of righteousness”; Steadfastness

He is the Peerless!

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Name in the Tabernacle of effulgent splendour, and by Thy Most Sublime Word in the Dominion of transcendent glory, to protect this servant, who hath enjoyed companionship with Thee, hearkened unto the accents of Thy voice and recognized Thy proof. Vouchsafe, then, unto him the good of both this world and the next, and grant unto him the station of righteousness in Thy presence, that his feet may not slip from Thine all-glorious and most exalted path. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual – Praise and gratitude for “guiding me unto the horizon of Thy Revelation”; Speech

Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God, for guiding me unto the horizon of Thy Revelation and for causing me to be mentioned by Thy Name. I beseech Thee, by the spreading rays of the Daystar of Thy providence and by the billowing waves of the Ocean of Thy mercy, to grant that my speech may bear a trace of the influence of Thine own exalted Word, attracting thereby the realities of all created things. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest through Thy wondrous and incomparable Utterance. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Additional Prayers Revealed by Baha’u’llah; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Individual (child) – Spiritual growth & development

O Thou pure God! I am a little child; grant that the breast of Thy loving-kindness be the breast that I cherish; suffer me to be nourished with the honey and the milk of Thy love; rear me in the bosom of Thy knowledge, and bestow upon me nobility and wisdom while I am still a child.

O Thou the Self-Sufficing God! Make me a confidant of the Kingdom of the Unseen. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful. 

- ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá  (‘Bahá’í Prayers and Tablets for Children’; A Compilation Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; Baha’i online Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)

Believers – Praise and gratitude

O my God! O my God! Favor belongs to Thee, Generosity belongs to Thee! Praise belongs to Thee and Glorification is Thine, for that which Thou hast bestowed upon these indigent ones, granted a refuge and asylum to these weak ones in the cave of Thy protection and preservation, assisted them in the service of Thy Cause and confirm them in the worship of Thy Exalted Threshold.

O Lord! They have sacrificed their belongings and souls in Thy path, contributed for love of Thee and missed no chance or opportunity in spreading Thy Signs, diffusing Thy Word, promulgating Thy Name among Thy servants and proclaiming Thy wonders among Thy creatures!

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Most High, the Omnipresent; and verily Thou art the Clement and the Most Merciful! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 10, September 8, 1914)

Believers – Blessings and assistance for those engaged in building Mashriqu’l-Adhkars

O God! O God! I implore Thee with throbbing heart and streaming tears, to aid each one who endeavors for the erection of the House of the Lord (Mashriqu’l-Adhkar), the Building wherein Thy Name is mentioned every mom and eve. Send down Thy benediction on whomsoever endeavors for the uprising of this Edifice among the sects and religions. and confirm him in every good deed of mankind; open the doors of riches and wealth unto him and make him an inheritor of the treasures of the Kingdom which perish not; make him the sign of giving among the peoples and reinforce him by the sea of Thy generosity and bounty, which is surging with the waves of grace and favor. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Merciful and the Bountiful.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 5)

Group – Nearness; Assistance; Victory of the Cause; Service; Spiritual growth

He is God

O Thou Heavenly Father!

Thou hast the hosts of the Kingdom and the spiritual angels. We, indigent souls are broken-winged birds; yet we yearn to soar toward the immensity of the Kingdom. We are thirsty fish; we seek the Sea of the Water of Life. We are the butterflies of the nether world; we long for the Lamp of the Realm on High. We are in the utmost weakness and feebleness; yet we are fighting against the armies of the world.

Therefore, O Lord of Hosts! confirm us so that the army of Light may become victorious and the legions of the darkness be defeated. Assist us in the service of the Kingdom and acquaint us with the Divine Mysteries. Rejoice us with the glad-tidings of the everlasting sovereignty and bestow upon us a portion and a share of the Life Eternal. Suffer the tongues to be unloosed and grant sight to the eyes; so that we may behold the world of the Kingdom and may praise with an eloquent speech Thy Beauty and Thy Perfection.

Verily, Thou art the Bestower and the Kind!

 - ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 11, September 27, 1914, 1914)

Individual (child) – Spiritual, emotional, moral growth and development; Happiness; Servitude

O my Lord! O my Lord! I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty. Deliver me from darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness; make me a flower of the rose-garden; suffer me to become a servant of Thy threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous; make me a cause of bounty to the human world and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Bahá’í Prayers and Tablets for Children’; A Compilation Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Centre)