Believers – Assistance: ease of hardship, “abasement into glory”, “sorrow into blissful joy”

Remove not, O Lord, the festal board that hath been spread in Thy Name, and extinguish not the burning flame that hath been kindled by Thine unquenchable fire. Withhold not from flowing that living water of Thine that murmureth with the melody of Thy glory and Thy remembrance, and deprive not Thy servants from the fragrance of Thy sweet savors breathing forth the perfume of Thy love.

Lord! Turn the distressing cares of Thy holy ones into ease, their hardship into comfort, their abasement into glory, their sorrow into blissful joy, O Thou that holdest in Thy grasp the reins of all mankind!

Thou art, verily, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. 

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

Individual – Child: “O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness.”

O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness. I am a tender plant; cause me to be nurtured through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty. I am a sapling of the garden of love; make me into a fruitful tree.

Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful, and Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Bahá’í Prayers and Tablets for Children’, A Compilation prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, posted at Baha’i Reference Library at the Baha’i World Center)

Humanity – “Withhold not Thy servants from the most mighty Ocean”; “Leave them not to themselves, for they understand not”

O My God!  Thou art the All-Bountiful, Whose grace is infinite. Withhold not Thy servants from the most mighty Ocean, which Thou hast made the repository of the pearls of Thy knowledge and Thy wisdom, and turn them not away from Thy gate, which Thou hast opened wide before all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth. O Lord! Leave them not to themselves, for they understand not and flee from that which is better for them than all that Thou hast created upon Thine earth.  Cast upon them, O My God, the glances of the eye of Thy favour and bounty, and deliver them from self and passion, that they may draw nigh unto Thy most exalted Horizon, taste the sweetness of Thy remembrance, and delight in that bread which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy Will and the firmament of Thy grace.  From everlasting Thy bounty hath embraced the entire creation and Thy mercy hath surpassed all things. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. 

- Baha'u'llah  (From a Tablet to Nasiri’d-Din Shah, Suriy-i-Haykal [Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Humanity – “to remove the veils that have come in between Thee and Thy creatures”; for people “to turn from the left hand of oblivion and delusion unto the right hand of knowledge and certitude”; to recognize God’s Manifestation when He appears

Glory be to Thee, O Lord My God! How many the heads which were raised aloft on spears in Thy path, and how many the breasts which were made the target of arrows for the sake of Thy good pleasure! How many the hearts that have been lacerated for the exaltation of Thy Word and the promotion of Thy Cause, and how many the eyes that have wept sore for love of Thee! I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the King of kings and the Pitier of the downtrodden, by Thy Most Great Name which Thou hast made the Dawning-Place of Thy most excellent names and the Dayspring of Thy most exalted attributes, to remove the veils that have come in between Thee and Thy creatures and debarred them from turning unto the horizon of Thy Revelation. Cause them, then, O My God, by Thy most exalted Word, to turn from the left hand of oblivion and delusion unto the right hand of knowledge and certitude, that they may know what Thou hast purposed for them through Thy bounty and grace, and may set their faces towards Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Cause and the Revealer of Thy signs… From everlasting Thy bounty hath embraced the entire creation and Thy mercy hath surpassed all things.  No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. 

- Baha'u'llah  (From a Tablet to Nasiri’d-Din Shah, Suriy-i-Haykal [Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Individual – Assistance: “my speech may bear a trace of the influence of Thine own exalted Word”

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. 

- Baha’u’llah  (New compilation prepared by the Baha’i World Center; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the World Center)

Humanity – Recognition of the Manifestation of God

All praise, O my God, be to Thee Who art the Source of all glory and majesty, of greatness and honor, of sovereignty and dominion, of loftiness and grace, of awe and power. Whomsoever Thou willest Thou causest to draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, and on whomsoever Thou desirest Thou conferrest the honor of recognizing Thy Most Ancient Name. Of all who are in heaven and on earth, none can withstand the operation of Thy sovereign Will. From all eternity Thou didst rule the entire creation, and Thou wilt continue for evermore to exercise Thy dominion over all created things. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.

Illumine, O Lord, the faces of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee; and cleanse their hearts that they may turn unto the court of Thy heavenly favors, and recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Day-Spring of Thine Essence. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all worlds. There is no God but Thee, the Unconstrained, the All-Subduing. 

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

Marriage – “wed Thou in the heaven of Thy mercy these two birds of the nest of Thy love”

He is God!

O peerless Lord! In Thine almighty wisdom Thou hast enjoined marriage upon the peoples, that the generations of men may succeed one another in this contingent world, and that ever, so long as the world shall last, they may busy themselves at the Threshold of Thy oneness with servitude and worship, with salutation, adoration and praise. “I have not created spirits and men, but that they  should worship me.” [Qur'an 51:56] Wherefore, wed Thou in the heaven of Thy mercy these two birds of the nest of Thy love, and make them the means of attracting perpetual grace; that from the union of these two seas of love a wave of tenderness may surge and cast the pearls of pure and goodly issue on the shore of life. “He hath let loose the two seas, that they meet each other: Between them is a barrier which they overpass not. Which then of the bounties of your Lord will ye deny? From each He bringeth up greater and lesser pearls.” [Qur'an 55:19-20]

O Thou kind Lord! Make Thou this marriage to bring forth coral and pearls. Thou art verily the All-Powerful, the Most Great, the Ever-Forgiving. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (Compilation: ‘Baha'i Prayers’, 1991 edition)

Individual – Firmness in the Covenant; Becoming purged from “the remembrance of anyone” save God’s Manifestation

Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy gifts.

I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me, out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the remembrance of anyone except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs.

Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast purposed by Thy power. 

No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah; compilation: ‘Baha'i Prayers’, 1991 edition)

Believer – Steadfastness; “grant unto him the station of righteousness”; the good of both this world and the next”

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. 

- Baha’u’llah  (New compilation prepared by the Baha’i World Center; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the World Center)

Humanity – “Give light to our eyes, hearing to our ears, and understanding and love to our hearts.”

O Thou compassionate Lord, Thou Who art generous and able! We are servants of Thine sheltered beneath Thy providence. Cast Thy glance of favor upon us. Give light to our eyes, hearing to our ears, and understanding and love to our hearts. Render our souls joyous and happy through Thy glad tidings. O Lord! Point out to us the pathway of Thy kingdom and resuscitate all of us through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Bestow upon us life everlasting and confer upon us never-ending honor. Unify mankind and illumine the world of humanity. May we all follow Thy pathway, long for Thy good pleasure and seek the mysteries of Thy kingdom. O God! Unite us and connect our hearts with Thy indissoluble bond. Verily, Thou art the Giver, Thou art the Kind One and Thou art the Almighty. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (Compilation: ‘Baha'i Prayers’, 1991 edition)

Individual – Praise & gratitude; Spiritual growth; Nearness to God

O God, my God! Glory be to Thee for having guided me unto the horizon of Thy Revelation, illumined me with the splendours of the light of Thy grace and mercy, caused me to speak forth Thy praise, and given me to behold that which hath been revealed by Thy Pen.

I beseech Thee, O Thou the Lord of the kingdom of names and Fashioner of earth and heaven, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and by Thy most sweet utterance which hath enraptured the realities of all created things, to raise me up in Thy Name amidst Thy servants. I am he who hath sought in the daytime and in the night season to stand before the door of Thy bounty and to present himself before the throne of Thy justice. O Lord! Cast not away him who hath clung to the cord of Thy nearness, and deprive not him who hath directed his steps towards Thy most sublime station, the summit of glory, and the supreme objective—that station wherein every atom crieth out in the most eloquent tongue, saying: “Earth and heaven, glory and dominion are God’s, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful!” 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Individual – Nearness to Manifestation of God

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Exalted, the Most Glorious!

O God, my God! Thou seest how Thy servant hath set his face towards Thee and desired to be honoured by performing that whereunto he hath been bidden in Thy Book. Do Thou ordain for him through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall draw him nigh unto the Most Sublime Summit. Thou, verily, art the Educator of the world and the Lord of the nations, and Thou, verily, art the Potent, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Believers – Assistance: “to discharge what hath been enjoined upon them in Thy Book”

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all beings and the Ultimate Aim of all creation! I testify with the tongue of both mine inner and outer being that Thou hast revealed and manifested Thyself, that Thou hast sent down Thy verses and demonstrated Thy proofs, and that Thou art independent of anyone besides Thee and sanctified above all else except Thyself. I ask Thee, by the glory of Thy Cause and the power of Thy Word, graciously to assist them that have arisen to discharge what hath been enjoined upon them in Thy Book, and to perform that whereby the fragrance of Thine acceptance may be shed abroad. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. 

- Bahá’u’lláh  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

A prayer for Nasiri’d-Din Shah

O God, my God! Bahá beseecheth Thee and imploreth Thee, by the lights of Thy countenance and the billows of the ocean of Thy Revelation, and the effulgent splendors of the Sun of Thine utterance, to aid the Sháh to be fair and equitable. If it be Thy wish, bless Thou, through him, the throne of authority and sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. There is none other God but Thee, Who hearest, Who art ready to answer. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)

For a young girl – “Make me ablaze, like unto the fire of Thy love…”

O loving God! I am a young child, a suppliant, a captive. Be Thou my refuge, my support, my protector. I am in distress: give me the means of tranquillity. I am needy: bestow upon me the treasure of the Kingdom. I am dead: give me the Spirit of Life. I am weak: favor me with power and strength, so that I may be a maid-servant in Thy Threshold, with perfect purity and sanctity; sacrifice myself unto Thee, be quit of myself and seek Thee, walk in the path of Thy good pleasure, speak Thy secret and witness the signs of Thy Oneness wherever I look. O God! Make me ablaze, like unto the fire of Thy love, and make me free from attachment to this mortal world, until I find the peace of soul and the rest of conscience.

Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty! Thou art the Hearer, the Seer!

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1’)

Child/Junior youth - “to be refreshed continually”

He is the Most Glorious!

O my merciful Lord! This is a hyacinth which hath grown in the garden of Thy good pleasure and a twig which hath appeared in the orchard of true knowledge. Cause it, O Lord of bounty, to be refreshed continually and at all times through Thy vitalizing breezes, and make it verdant, fresh and flourishing through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy favours, O Thou kind Lord!

Verily Thou art the All-Glorious. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Child – spiritual growth

O Lord! Plant this tender seedling in the garden of Thy manifold bounties, water it from the fountains of Thy loving-kindness and grant that it may grow into a goodly plant through the outpourings of Thy favour and grace. 

Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Believer – Assistance; “performing that whereunto he hath been bidden in Thy Book”; Nearness to God

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Exalted, the Most Glorious!

O God, my God! Thou seest how Thy servant hath set his face towards Thee and desired to be honoured by performing that whereunto he hath been bidden in Thy Book. Do Thou ordain for him through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall draw him nigh unto the Most Sublime Summit. Thou, verily, art the Educator of the world and the Lord of the nations, and Thou, verily, art the Potent, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. 

- Baha'u'llah  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Believers – Assistance; Service; “to perform that whereby the fragrance of Thine acceptance may be shed abroad”

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Exalted, the Most Glorious! 

Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all beings and the Ultimate Aim of all creation! I testify with the tongue of both mine inner and outer being that Thou hast revealed and manifested Thyself, that Thou hast sent down Thy verses and demonstrated Thy proofs, and that Thou art independent of anyone besides Thee and sanctified above all else except Thyself. I ask Thee, by the glory of Thy Cause and the power of Thy Word, graciously to assist them that have arisen to discharge what hath been enjoined upon them in Thy Book, and to perform that whereby the fragrance of Thine acceptance may be shed abroad. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. 

- Baha'u'llah  (New resources available at Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

Individual – To become attracted to God’s beauty and led to His Presence

O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Maker of the heavens! I beseech Thee by them Who are the Daysprings of Thine invisible Essence, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, to make of my prayer a fire that will burn away the veils which have shut me out from Thy beauty, and a light that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy Presence. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Excerpt from the Long Obligatory Prayer)

Individual – Thankfulness; Praise and gratitude

I bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness, and that Thou art God, and that there is none other God beside Thee. Thou hast, verily, revealed Thy Cause, fulfilled Thy Covenant, and opened wide the door of Thy grace to all that dwell in heaven and on earth. Blessing and peace, salutation and glory, rest upon Thy loved ones, whom the changes and chances of the world have not deterred from turning unto Thee, and who have given their all, in the hope of obtaining that which is with Thee. Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Excerpt from the Medium Obligatory Prayer)

For an infant – Spiritual growth and protection

O Thou peerless Lord! Let this suckling babe be nursed from the breast of Thy loving-kindness, guard it within the cradle of Thy safety and protection and grant that it be reared in the arms of Thy tender affection. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  (‘Bahá’í Prayers and Tablets for Children’, A Compilation prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, posted at Baha’i Reference Library at the Baha’i World Center)

Individual child - Spiritual growth and development

O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and 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, posted at Baha’i Reference Library at the Baha’i World Center)

Prayer for Queen Victoria to say

Turn thou unto God and say: O my Sovereign Lord! I am but a vassal of Thine, and Thou art, in truth, the King of kings. I have lifted my suppliant hands unto the heaven of Thy grace and Thy bounties. Send down, then, upon me from the clouds of Thy generosity that which will rid me of all save Thee, and draw me nigh unto Thyself. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name, which Thou hast made the king of names and the manifestation of Thyself to all who are in heaven and on earth, to rend asunder the veils that have intervened between me and my recognition of the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy Revelation. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Bounteous. Deprive me not, O my Lord, of the fragrances of the Robe of Thy mercy in Thy days, and write down for me that which Thou hast written down for Thy handmaidens who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and have recognized Thee, and set their hearts towards the horizon of Thy Cause. Thou art truly the Lord of the worlds and of those who show mercy the Most Merciful. Assist me, then, O my God, to remember Thee amongst Thy handmaidens, and to aid Thy Cause in Thy lands. Accept, then, that which hath escaped me when the light of Thy countenance shone forth. Thou, indeed, hast power over all things. Glory be to Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Humanity - During World War I

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 31, 1914)

Believers – “to acquire knowledge and the sciences and arts”; “to unravel the secrets that are treasured up in the inmost reality of all created beings”; to become “ensigns of guidance amongst all creatures”

O God, O Thou Who hast cast Thy splendour over the luminous realities of men, shedding upon them the resplendent lights of knowledge and guidance, and hast chosen them out of all created things for this supernal grace, and hast caused them to encompass all things, to understand their inmost essence, and to disclose their mysteries, bringing them forth out of darkness into the visible world! "He verily showeth His special mercy to whomsoever He will."[1] O Lord, help Thou Thy loved ones to acquire knowledge and the sciences and arts, and to unravel the secrets that are treasured up in the inmost reality of all created beings. Make them to hear the hidden truths that are written and embedded in the heart of all that is. Make them to be ensigns of guidance amongst all creatures, and piercing rays of the mind shedding forth their light in this, the "first life".[2] Make them to be leaders unto Thee, guides unto Thy path, runners urging men on to Thy Kingdom.

Thou verily art the Powerful, the Protector, the Potent, the Defender, the Mighty, the Most Generous. 
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)

[1] Qur'án 56:62

[2] Qur'án 3:67

Individual – Nearness to God; Steadfastness; Protection

O my God, my God! I am a servant attracted to Thee, humbly coming to the door of Thy Oneness and addressing the kingdom of Thy mercy.

Yes, my God, permit that I should be entirely Thine, occupied in thinking of Thee, inflamed by the fire of Thy love and separated from all except Thee, so that I may work in Thy Cause, spread Thy wisdom, transmit Thy knowledge and the joy of knowing Thee.

Yes, my God, I am a flame lighted by the hand of Thy power. Do not permit that it be extinguished by the winds of trials. Increase my love for Thee, my ardor for the Beauty of Thy Oneness, the fire that burneth in me in the Sinai of Thy Singleness, and the eternal life in me, through Thy bounty and grace; for Thou art the Protector, the Watcher, the Pitiful and the Merciful! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bah  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

A prayer for the forgiveness of souls who have departed from this world in ignorance of the Truth

O Thou Forgiving Lord!  Although certain souls finished the days of life in ignorance, were estranged and selfish, yet the ocean of Thy forgiveness is, verily, able to redeem and make free the sinners by one of its waves. Thou redeemest whomsoever Thou willest and deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not ! Shouldst Thou treat justly, we all are sinners and deserve to be deprived; and shouldst Thou observe mercy, every sinner shall be made pure and every stranger shall become a friend. Therefore, forgive and pardon and grant Thy mercy unto all. Thou art the Forgiver, the Light-giver and the Compassionate! 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bah  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

A Prayer for Baha’u’llah’s Mother

The most honoured, esteemed and respected mother.

He is God!

Praised be Thou O Lord, My God! This is My mother who hath acknowledged Thy oneness, confessed Thy unity, attained the honour of meeting Thy Manifestations in Thy days, reached the station of recognition and entered the tabernacle of Heaven, for she loved Thyself and Thy Servant and held fast to the cord of Thy love through the sanctified Temples of Thy Sovereignty.

I beseech Thee, therefore, O My God, to grant her the honour of beholding Thy Beauty, and vouchsafe unto her the gift of Thy Presence. Give her to drink then from the ocean of Thy mercy and the chalice of Thy forgiveness. Make her to dwell, O My God, in the precincts of Thy mercy in the Heaven of eternity. Grant her to hear Thy holy melodies that she may cast the veil from her head in her eagerness to meet Thee and speed through the domains of Thy nearness and union.

Thou art verily powerful over all that Thou desirest, and Thou art verily the Mighty, the Most Luminous.

- Baha’u’llah  (Provisional translation approved by the Baha’i World Center for inclusion in the book: ‘Leaves of the Twin Divine Trees’, by Baharieh Rouhani-Ma’ani)

Prayer for Chicago Temple

O God, my aim, my hope! With hearts full of longing and breasts full of yearning, we beg of Thee and we supplicate at the threshold of Thy might to raise the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in Chicago, in the most speedy manner. Make its basis firm and its structure enduring, suffer its pillars to remain unshakable and make its columns of the steel and iron of firmness. Glorify its servants, beautify the characters and make the worshippers beloved. Suffer its nightingales to sing “Ya-Baha’u’l-Abha” and warble the praises of our Lord, the Most Supreme. Make its men the standards unfolded on the mountains of the world, and its women the sanctified angels of the tabernacle of the world!

- ’Abdu’l-Baha (Baha’i News no. 58, January 1932)

Children & Junior Youth

O Thou Lord of wondrous grace!

Bestow upon us new blessings. Give to us the freshness of the spring. We are saplings which have been planted by the fingers of Thy bounty and have been formed out of the water and clay of Thy tender affection. We thirst for the living waters of Thy favours and are dependent upon the outpourings of the clouds of Thy generosity. Abandon not to itself this grove wherein our hopes aspire, nor withhold therefrom the showers of Thy loving-kindness. Grant that from the clouds of Thy mercy may fall copious rain so that the trees of our lives may bring forth fruit and we may attain the most cherished desire of our hearts. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Baha’i Prayers and Tablets for Children’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

Praise and Gratitude; Assistance; Steadfastness; Teaching; Spiritual Growth; Happiness; Serenity; Life

Glory be unto Thee, O God! for Thou hast opened the Doors of the Kingdom of Grandeur and Majesty before the faces of Thy beloved ones; overshadowed them with the wide spreading Tree of Thy Mercifulness; stirred them into cheerfulness by the Breezes of Acceptance from the Garden of Thy Singleness and caused the downpour of pure Waters from the heaven of Thy Generosity, through which Thou didst cleanse the hearts of Thy friends.

Thou didst resuscitate the spirit of those who have arisen in Thy service with the Breaths of the Holy Spirit and reinforced them with the angels of Thy Sanctification and the unseen Cohorts from the Supreme Concourse. Verily, this was no other but a reinforcement from Thee and a fresh Confirmation on Thy part; in order that they might arise in the proclamation of Thy Word, the diffusion of Thy Fragrances, the perusal of Thy Verses, the promulgation of Thy Religion, the propagation of Thy Teachings, the universalization of Thy Grace and the strengthening of Thy Covenant. Verily, they have pitched on the apex of the world, the Tabernacle of Thy Oneness, whose cords are unbreakable, under whose shade nations and peoples shall dwell and which is glorified with the Bestowal of Thy Effulgence.

O Lord! We are weak, fortify us with Thy Power; we are prisoners, shine upon us the Light of Thy Freedom!

O God! This captive has no other protector save Thee; this afflicted one has no other guardian except Thee, and this weak soul has no other support beside Thee!

Teachers of the Cause of God

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)

Believers – Unity; Spiritual growth; Steadfastness

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. 14, November 23, 1914)

Youth

Praise and glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! This is a choice sapling which Thou hast planted in the meads of Thy love and hast nurtured with the fingers of Thy Lordship. Thou hast watered it from the wellspring of everlasting life which streameth forth from the gardens of Thy oneness and Thou hast caused the clouds of Thy tender mercy to shower Thy favors upon it. It hath now grown and developed beneath the shelter of Thy blessings which are manifest from the Dayspring of Thy divine essence. It hath burst forth into leaves and blossoms, is laden with fruit through the providence of Thy wondrous gifts and bounties and is stirred by the fragrant breeze wafting from the direction of Thy loving-kindness.

O Lord! Cause this sapling to become verdant, fresh and flourishing by the outpourings of Thy special bounty and favor, wherewith Thou hast endued the tabernacles of holiness in Thy eternal Kingdom and hast adorned the essences of unity in the arena of reunion.

Individual – Observing the Fast

O Divine Providence! As I am abstaining from bodily desires and not occupied with eating and drinking, even so purify and sanctify my heart from the love of anyone save Thyself and shield and protect my soul from corrupt desires and satanic qualities so that my spirit may commune with the breaths of holiness and fast from the mention of all else besides Thee. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a table talk in Akka, ‘Table Talks by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, by Corrine, booklet published by Baha’i Publishing Society, Chicago 1907; revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre; ‘Fasting a Baha’i Handbook, by Duane Herrmann)

The Fast

Praised be Thou, O God, my God! These are the days whereon Thou hast enjoined Thy chosen ones, Thy loved ones and Thy servants to observe the Fast, which Thou hast made a light unto the people of Thy kingdom, even as Thou didst make obligatory prayer a ladder of ascent unto those who acknowledge Thy unity. I beg of Thee, O my God, by these two mighty pillars, which Thou hast ordained as a glory and honor for all mankind, to keep Thy religion safe from the mischief of the ungodly and the plotting of every wicked doer. O Lord, conceal not the light which Thou hast revealed through Thy strength and Thine omnipotence. Assist, then, those who truly believe in Thee with the hosts of the seen and the unseen by Thy command and Thy sovereignty. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Baha’i Prayers’, 1992 edition)

Believers – Receiving God’s blessings and assistance; “to walk undeviatingly in the path of Truth”; Nearness to God

O God! Recompense those who endure patiently in Thy days, and strengthen their hearts to walk undeviatingly in the path of Truth. Grant then, O Lord, such goodly gifts as would enable them to gain admittance into Thy blissful Paradise. Exalted art Thou, O Lord God. Let Thy heavenly blessings descend upon homes whose inmates have believed in Thee. Verily, unsurpassed art Thou in sending down divine blessings. Send forth, O God, such hosts as would render Thy faithful servants victorious. Thou dost fashion the created things through the power of Thy decree as Thou pleasest. Thou art in truth the Sovereign, the Creator, the All-Wise. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

Group – To “be able to dispense with everything” but God

All praise be unto Thee, O Lord! We shall seek Thy grace on the appointed Day and shall put our whole reliance in Thee, Who art our Lord. Glorified art Thou, O God! Grant us that which is good and seemly that we may be able to dispense with everything but Thee. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all worlds. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

Group – “Ordain for us such good as Thine all-embracing knowledge can measure”

Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord our God! Thou art in truth the Knower of things unseen. Ordain for us such good as Thine all-embracing knowledge can measure. Thou art the sovereign Lord, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

Individual – Spiritual growth; Nearness to God

Grant, O my God, that I may not be reckoned among those whose ears are deaf, whose eyes are blind, whose tongues are speechless and whose hearts have failed to comprehend. Deliver me, O Lord, from the fire of ignorance and of selfish desire, suffer me to be admitted into the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy and send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)