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)