Daybreak

Contents Acknowledgements 1. The Messengers of God

v 1

2. The Covenant

23

3. The Journey of the Soul

45

4. Prayer

67

5. Acquiring Perfections

89

6. Spiritual and Moral Laws

111

7. Service

133

8. Teaching

155

9. The Funds and Ḥuqúqu’lláh

177

10. Tests and Difficulties

199

11. Community Life

221

12. Race Unity

243

13. Women and Men

265

14. Marriage and Family Life

287

15. Consultation

309

16. Bahá’í Administration and World Order

331

17. Education and Knowledge

353

18. Health and Healing

375

19. Music and Art

397

Bibliography References

419 423

How is Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation different from those of the past?

It is evident that every age in which a Manifestation of God hath lived is divinely ordained, and may, in a sense, be characterized as God’s appointed Day. This Day, however, is unique, and is to be distinguished from those that have preceded it. The designation ‘Seal of the Prophets’ fully revealeth its high station. The Prophetic Cycle hath, verily, ended. The Eternal Truth is now come. He hath lifted up the Ensign of Power, and is now shedding upon the world the unclouded splendour of His Revelation.

Bahá’u’lláh14 For further reflection Why is the Bahá’í cycle called the ‘cycle of fulfilment’?

16

What is the relationship between Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation and future dispensations?

After Bahá’u’lláh many Prophets will, no doubt, appear but they will be under His Shadow. Although they may abrogate the laws of this Dispensation in accordance with the needs and requirements of the age in which they appear, they nevertheless draw their spiritual force from this mighty Revelation. The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh constitutes, indeed, the stage of maturity in the development of mankind. His appearance has released such spiritual forces which will continue to animate, for many long years to come, the world in its development.

Whatever progress may be achieved, in later ages, after the unification of the whole human race is achieved, will be but improvement in the machinery of the world.

For the machinery itself has been already created by Bahá’u’lláh. The task of continually improving and perfecting this machinery is one which later Prophets will be called upon to achieve. They will thus move and work within the orbit of the Bahá’í Cycle.

Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi15 For further reflection What constitutes the maturity of humankind?

17

What is meant by the ‘return of the Prophets’? . . . what the divine Prophets meant by ‘return’ is not the return of the essence, but that of the qualities; it is not the return of the Manifestation, but that of the perfections.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá16 For further reflection What did the Báb mean when He said, ‘I am the return of all the Prophets’?

18

End of this sample.

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