Baha'i Prayers: - Page 5

arthra · 03-17-2007, 03:03 AM

"These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the Fast...Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue..."

"...Blessed is he that observeth the fast wholly for Thy sake, and with absolute detachment from all things except Thee..."
"Glory be to Thee, O Lord My God! These are the days whereon Thou hast bidden all men to observe the fast, that through it they may purify their souls...Grant, O my Lord, that this fast may become a river of life-giving waters and may yield the virtue with which Thou hast endowed it....Do not bring our fasts to an end with this fast, O my Lord...Do Thou accept all that we have done for love of Thee..."

http://www.uga.edu/bahai/2003/fastingshw.jpg

arthra · 03-21-2007, 04:17 PM

Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Rúz as a festival unto those who have observed the fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that is abhorrent unto Thee. Grant, O my Lord, that the fire of Thy love and the heat produced by the fast enjoined by Thee may inflame them in Thy Cause, and make them to be occupied with Thy praise and with remembrance of Thee.

Since thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.

Thou art He through Whom the ensign "Praise-worthy art Thou in Thy works" hath been lifted up, and the standard "Obeyed art Thou in thy behest" hath been unfurled. Make known this Thy station, O my God, unto Thy servants, that they may be made aware that the excellence of all things is dependent upon Thy bidding and Thy word, and the virtue of every act is conditioned by Thy leave and the good pleasure of Thy will, and may recognize that the reins of men's doings are within the grasp of Thine acceptance and Thy commandment. Make this known unto them, that nothing whatsoever may shut them out from Thy Beauty, in these days whereon the Christ exclaimeth: "All dominion is Thine, O Thou the Begetter of the Spirit (Jesus)"; and Thy Friend (Muhammad) crieth out: "Glory be to Thee, O Thou the Best-Beloved, for that thou hast uncovered thy Beauty, and written down for Thy chosen ones what will cause them to attain unto the seat of the revelation of Thy Most Great Name, through which all the peoples have lamented except such as have detached themselves from all else except Thee, and set themselves towards Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and the Manifestation of Thine attributes."

He Who is Thy Branch and all Thy company, O my Lord, have broken this day their fast, after haviang observed it within the precincts of Thy court, and in their eagerness to please Thee. Do Thou ordain for Him, and for them, and for all such as have entered Thy presence in those days all the good Thou didst destine in Thy Book. Supply them, then, with that which will profit them, in both this life and in the life beyond.

Thou, in truth, art the the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

- Bahá'u'lláh

arthra · 03-22-2007, 12:43 PM

O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.
— 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers

BruceDLimber · 03-22-2007, 01:14 PM

Art, hi; Allah-u-Abha!

Given that the other three US regional prayers have been posted here, the Central States Prayer has become conspicuous by its absence!

So you may want to post it here soon; that way we'll have covered all the US bases. . . .

Best regards,

Bruce

arthra · 03-23-2007, 06:42 AM

REVEALED TO THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE CENTRAL STATES: “O Lord, my God! Praise and thanksgiving be…”

Let the spreaders of the fragrances of God recite this prayer every morning:
O Lord, my God! Praise and thanksgiving be unto Thee for Thou hast guided me to the highway of the kingdom, suffered me to walk in this straight and far-stretching path, illumined my eye by beholding the splendors of Thy light, inclined my ear to the melodies of the birds of holiness from the kingdom of mysteries and attracted my heart with Thy love among the righteous.
O Lord! Confirm me with the Holy Spirit, so that I may call in Thy Name amongst the nations and give the glad tidings of the manifestation of Thy kingdom amongst mankind.
O Lord! I am weak, strengthen me with Thy power and potency. My tongue falters, suffer me to utter Thy commemoration and praise. I am lowly, honor me through admitting me into Thy kingdom. I am remote, cause me to approach the threshold of Thy mercifulness. O Lord! Make me 188 a brilliant lamp, a shining star and a blessed tree, adorned with fruit, its branches overshadowing all these regions. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful and Unconstrained.

—‘Abdu’l-Bahá

arthra · 03-26-2007, 05:09 AM

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, Bahá'í Prayers

InLove · 03-27-2007, 12:48 PM

(Bumping this back to front page since the birthday greeting I posted yesterday was for, well, yesterday! Hope no one minds.

)

InPeace,
InLove

arthra · 03-28-2007, 04:45 AM

O THOU cherished Fruit of the heart! Give ear to the melodies of this mystic Bird warbling in the loftiest heights of heaven. The Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me to proclaim: Verily, verily, I am God, He besides Whom there is none other God. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.O My servants! Seek ye earnestly this highest reward, as I have indeed created for the Remembrance of God gardens which remain inscrutable to anyone save Myself, and naught therein hath been made lawful unto anyone except those whose lives have been sacrificed in His Path. Hence beseech ye God, the Most Exalted, that He may grant you this meritorious reward, and He is in truth the Most High, the Most Great. Had it been Our wish, We would have brought all men into one fold round Our Remembrance, yet they will not cease to differ,1 unless God accomplish what He willeth through the power of truth. In the estimation of the Remembrance this commandment hath, in very truth, been irrevocably ordained. . .God hath indeed chosen Thee to warn the people, to guide the believers aright and to elucidate the secrets of the Book.

— The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, Page 671 cf. Qur'án 11:120

arthra · 03-30-2007, 04:43 AM

O MY SERVANT!

Thou art even as a finely tempered sword concealed in the darkness of its sheath and its value hidden from the artificer's knowledge. Wherefore come forth from the sheath of self and desire that thy worth may be made resplendent and manifest unto all the world.
— Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

arthra · 04-01-2007, 09:23 PM

Glorified, immensely glorified art Thou! Thou art He Who from everlasting hath been the King of the entire creation and its Prime Mover, and Thou wilt to everlasting remain the Lord of all created things and their Ordainer. Glorified art thou, O my God! If Thou ceasest to be merciful unto Thy servants, who, then, will show mercy unto them; and if Thou refusest to succor thy loved ones, who is there that can succor them?Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou! Thou art adored in Thy truth, and Thee do we all, verily, worship; and Thou art manifest in Thy justice, and to Thee do we all, verily, bear witness. Thou art, in truth, beloved in Thy grace. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

— Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Prayers

arthra · 04-09-2007, 04:13 PM

O Qurratu'l-'Ayn!

1 Proclaim that which hath been sent down unto Thee as a token of the grace of the merciful Lord, for if Thou do it not, Our secret will never be made known to the people,

2 while the purpose of God in creating man is but for him to know Him. Indeed God hath knowledge of all things and is self-sufficient above the need of all mankind.

— The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, Pages 61-62

1 In these passages of the Qayyúmu'l-Asmá' the name Qurratu'l-'Ayn (Solace of the Eyes) refers to the Báb Himself.

2 cf. Qur'án 5:71

Qurratu'l Ayn was a title of Tahireh a female disciple of the Bab and among the "Letters of the Living" the first to believe in the Bab ...and who came to their belief independently. Tahireh was known for her erudition and also was a well known poetess. She also fearlessly challenged the orthodoxy and traditions of her day and was a fervent advocate for the cause of women.

arthra · 04-17-2007, 09:46 AM

O God, my God!

I have set out from my home, holding fast unto the cord of Thy love, and I have committed myself wholly to Thy care and Thy protection.

I entreat Thee by Thy power through which Thou didst protect Thy loved ones from the wayward and the perverse, and from every contumacious oppressor, and every wicked doer who hath strayed far from Thee, to keep me safe by Thy bounty and thy grace.

Enable me, then, to return to my home by Thy power and Thy might. Thou art, truly, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

— Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Prayers

Muslimwoman · 04-25-2007, 01:59 AM

as salaam aleykum

May I just say what a beautiful thread, I really enjoyed reading your favourite prayers.

Allah uAkbar

Salaam

arthra · 04-25-2007, 04:20 PM

This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favours have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests….

~ Baha'u'llah

(“Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh”, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1983),

arthra · 04-27-2007, 06:23 AM

The divine Manifestations since the day of Adam have striven to unite humanity so that all may be accounted as one soul. The function and purpose of a shepherd is to gather and not disperse his flock. The prophets of God have been divine shepherds of humanity. They have established a bond of love and unity among mankind, made scattered peoples one nation and wandering tribes a mighty kingdom. They have laid the foundation of the oneness of God and summoned all to universal peace. All these holy, divine Manifestations are one. They have served one God, promulgated the same truth, founded the same institutions and reflected the same light. Their appearances have been successive and correlated; each one has announced and extolled the one who was to follow and all laid the foundation of reality.

~ Abdul-Baha in Foundations of World Unity