Believers – Steadfastness; Spiritual growth; “ordain for them the best of this world and the world to come”; “Give them a truthful tongue among the people of the world”

[This supplication was revealed at a time when in some parts of Persia the believers were awaking to an understanding of the importance of the Covenant. (Star of the West, vol. 8, no.17, January 19, 1918)]

Praise be unto thee, O God, and glory be unto thee, O my Lord, for thou hast sent from among thy servants those whose consciences became clear; whose countenances were beautified; who flourished outwardly; became inwardly purified; whose faces became illumined; whose stars shone; whose hearts rejoiced; whose sorrows vanished; whose breasts dilated—when they heard the call of the Covenant.

They witnessed the signs of harmony; saw the light of dawn and responded to the Orb of the Horizons. Their faces radiated with the light of bounties and their tongues delighted in the mention of the Lord of great bestowals. They spoke with praise; were illumined with the light of guidance and became ignited with the blazing fire of the Tree of Sinai. They became firm in the Ancient Covenant; walked in the straight path; took hold of the mighty rope; turned to the manifest horizon and followed in the steps of the greatly refined. They gathered in the assembly of glory, in thy name, the Merciful, the Compassionate. They consulted concerning the mighty Testament; agreed upon the right decision and were confirmed with a new spirit. Their breasts were dilated through the reading of the mighty Covenant. They wrote the evident book which speaks of firmness and indicates steadfastness. They held fast to the strong and unbreakable support and grasped the hem of the Garment of Grandeur.

O Lord, illumine their faces in the Kingdom of Abha; incline their ears to the voice of commendation from the Supreme Concourse; make them great signs of thee; ordain for them the best of this world and the world to come; elevate their stations to the sublime canopy. Give them a truthful tongue among the people of the world and usher them into the paradise of thy meeting after they ascend to the Supreme Companion.

Verily, thou art the Omnipotent in whatsoever thou desirest and verily thou art the Pure Almighty. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Star of the West, vol. 8, no.17, January 19, 1918)

Believers – Spiritual transformation; Assistance; Teaching: Forgiveness

O my Beloved, God! These are thy servants who have heard thy voice, responded to thy word and accepted thy call. They believed in thee; became assured in thy verses; acknowledged thy proofs; listened to thy evidences; walked in thy path and followed thy guidance; became informed of thy mysteries; comprehended the symbols of thy Book, the signs of thy Scriptures and the glad tidings of thy epistles and tablets; grasped the hem of thy garment and were held by the radiance of thy grandeur; their feet became firm in thy Covenant and their hearts strong in thy Testament.

O my Lord! Ignite the fire of attraction in their hearts; let the birds of knowledge soar in the rose-gardens of their breasts and sing in the meadows of their souls, songs of love with the most wonderful melodies and harmonies; make them strong verses, unfurled ensigns and perfect words; elevate thy Cause by them; raise thy banners, spread thy signs, assist thy Word and support thy friends by them; make them to utter in thy praise and inspire them to arise in thy good-pleasure; illumine their faces in the Kingdom of thy holiness, and complete their joy by confirming them in assisting thy Cause!

O my Lord! We are weak, strengthen us in spreading the fragrances of thy sanctity; we are poor, enrich us from the treasury of thy singleness; we are naked, clothe us from thy generous bounty; we are sinners, pardon our transgressions by thy favor, generosity and forgiveness.

Verily, thou are the Confirmer, the Helper, the Beloved, the Mighty, the Omnipotent!

Baha be upon those who are firm and steadfast!

 ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 15, December 12, 1917)

Believers– “to acquire knowledge and the sciences and arts”; “to be ensigns of guidance”; “guides unto Thy [God’s] path”; “runners urging men on to Thy Kingdom”

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.” [Qur’án 3:67]

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”. [Qur’án 56:62] 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  (From a Tablet; ‘Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks’; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)