Preface Acknowledgements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Steadfastness: A Dream of Many Fish Justice: The Cruel Tax-Collector Generosity: Life of Jewels Detachment: The Prime Minister’s Request Confidence: Eloquent Answer Courage: Wrongly Punished Righteousness: Stones Trust: The Black Pit Perseverance: Exiled Helpfulness: Living in the Mountains Guidance: Divine Love Integrity: Claiming Friendship Kindness: The Old Woman Forgiveness: Man with a Gun Acceptance: One Final Question Trustworthiness: Last Will and Testament Honour: Lost Mules Unity: Deadly Jealousy Prayerfulness: The Power of Prayer Bibliography References
Daily Reflections 3.indd 3
07/01/2020 13:39:04
1 ������ ��������
O compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for Thou hast awakened and made me conscious. Thou hast given me a seeing eye and favoured me with a hearing ear, hast led me to Thy kingdom and guided me to Thy path. Thou hast shown me the right way and caused me to enter the ark of deliverance. O God! Keep me steadfast and make me firm and staunch. Protect me from violent tests and preserve and shelter me in the strongly fortified fortress of Thy Covenant and Testament. Thou art the Powerful. Thou art the Seeing. Thou art the Hearing . . . Thou art the Compassionate, the Merciful. Thou art the Great Beneficent God.1 • The first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God. No act, however meritorious, did or can ever compare unto it. It is the king of all acts, and to this thy Lord, the All-Highest, the Most Powerful, will testify . . . 2
Daily Reflections 3.indd 8
07/01/2020 13:39:05
When Bahå’u’llåh was a child His parents did not know He was a Messenger from God but they did know there was something very special and wonderful about their son. One night Bahå’u’llåh’s father had a dream. He dreamt he saw Bahå’u’llåh swimming in a huge ocean. His body shone like a light on the water and seemed to illuminate the whole sea. His long black hair floated around His head as He swam. Many fish were attracted to the light shining from Bahå’u’llåh. They gathered around His head, each holding onto a strand of hair. Although there were so many fish, Bahå’u’llåh was able to swim freely wherever He wished. The fish followed Bahå’u’llåh as He swam and did not hurt Him or slow Him down. When He turned one way, so did every fish. When He turned the other way, the fish followed. When Bahå’u’llåh’s father woke up, he asked a man who was famous for interpreting dreams to tell him what his dream meant. He was told the ocean was like this world and the fish were the people. The interpreter of dreams said that, alone, Bahå’u’llåh would achieve great things in this world. Wherever He went, people would try to hurt Him and stop Him. They would gather around Him and cling to Him but they would never harm Him or prevent Him from achieving His purpose.3
Daily Reflections 3.indd 9
07/01/2020 13:39:05
2 �������
Say: ‘O God, my God! Attire mine head with the crown of justice, and my temple with the ornament of equity. Thou, verily, art the Possessor of all gifts and bounties.’4 • O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.5
Daily Reflections 3.indd 10
07/01/2020 13:39:06
When Bahå’u’llåh was a youth, a government tax-collector came to His house to see Bahå’u’llåh’s father. In a very cruel and unfair manner, the tax-collector demanded payment of taxes. He came three times to Bahå’u’llåh’s house and each time he approached Bahå’u’llåh’s father in the same nasty way. Bahå’u’llåh was unable to bear the injustice forced on His father. Although He was only a youth, He mounted His horse and rode for two days to Tehran. When He arrived, He immediately did whatever He could to make sure the unjust and harsh tax-collector was dismissed from his job. Bahå’u’llåh did not leave Tehran until He received the papers ordering the dismissal of the tax-collector. He then returned to His parents.6
Daily Reflections 3.indd 11
07/01/2020 13:39:06
End of this sample. To learn more or to purchase this book, Please visit Bahaibookstore.com or your favorite bookseller.