Actions, Attitudes, and Virtues
Good Character:
My [God's] first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and
radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable
and everlasting.
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, p. 1)
The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and the
radiance thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted as a jewel
among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs
depend upon it.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 36)
O peoples of the world! Forsake all evil, hold fast that which is
good. Strive to be shining examples unto all mankind, and true
reminders of the virtues of God amidst men. He that riseth to serve My
Cause should manifest My wisdom, and bend every effort to banish
ignorance from the earth. Be united in counsel, be one in
thought. Let each morn be better than its eve and each morrow
richer than its yesterday.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 138)
Love and Unity:
Be most loving one to another. Burn away, wholly for the sake of
the Well-Beloved, the veil of self with the flame of the undying Fire,
and with faces joyous and beaming with light, associate with your
neighbor.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 316)
Ye were created to show love one to another and not perversity and
rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves but in love for
your fellow-creatures. Glory not in love for your country, but in
love for all mankind. Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful,
your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 138)
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, p. 6)
Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one another. Should
any one among you be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be
striving to comprehend it, show forth, when conversing with him, a
spirit of extreme kindliness and good-will. Help him to see and
recognize the truth, without esteeming yourself to be, in the least,
superior to him, or to be possessed of greater endowments.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 8)
You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do
not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals,
recognizing them as the servants of one God. Know that God is
compassionate toward all; therefore, love all from the depths of your
hearts, prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love
for every race, and be kind toward the people of all
nationalities. Never speak disparagingly of others, but praise
without distinction. Pollute not your tongues by speaking evil of
another. Recognize your enemies as friends, and consider those
who wish you evil as the wishers of good. You must not see evil
as evil and then compromise with your opinion, for to treat in a
smooth, kindly way one whom you consider evil or an enemy is hypocrisy,
and this is not worthy or allowable. You must consider your
enemies as your friends, look upon your evil-wishers as your
well-wishers and treat them accordingly. Act in such a way that
your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be
offended with anyone. If some one commits an error and wrong
toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of
others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give
admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not
burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to
hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart. Assist
the world of humanity as much as possible. Be the source of
consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be helpful to
every indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of
glorification to every lowly one, and shelter those who are
overshadowed by fear.
In brief, let each one of you be as a lamp
shining forth with the light of the virtues of the world of
humanity. Be trustworthy, sincere, affectionate and replete with
chastity. Be illumined, be spiritual, be divine, be glorious, be
quickened of God, be a Baha'i.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 453)
With hearts set aglow by the fire of the love of God and spirits
refreshed by the food of the heavenly spirit you must go forth as the
disciples nineteen hundred years ago, quickening the hearts of men by
the call of glad tidings, the light of God in your faces, severed from
everything save God. Therefore, order your lives in accordance
with the first principle of the divine teaching, which is love. Service
to humanity is service to God. Let the love and light of the
Kingdom radiate through you until all who look upon you shall be
illumined by its reflection.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 8)
Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another. Let
your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not toward the
world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake of God and not
for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you
love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are
imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy
if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God,
you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the
world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at
the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness.
The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults
looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides
for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing;
therefore, they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and
be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the
sick, teach and educate the ignorant.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 93)
Wherefore must the friends of God, with utter sanctity, with one
accord, rise up in the spirit, in unity with one another, to such a
degree that they will become even as one being and one soul. On
such a plane as this, physical bodies play no part, rather doth the
spirit take over and rule; and when its power encompasseth all then is
spiritual union achieved. Strive ye by day and night to cultivate
your unity to the fullest degree. Let your thoughts dwell on your
own spiritual development, and close your eyes to the deficiencies of
other souls. Act ye in such wise, showing forth pure and goodly
deeds, and modesty and humility, that ye will cause others to be
awakened.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 203)
Justice and Peace:
The best beloved of all things in My [God's] 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 neighbor. Ponder this in thy
heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to
thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine
eyes.
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, p. 2)
Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences of justice may
be revealed, through your deeds, among Our faithful servants.
Beware lest ye encroach upon the substance of your neighbor.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 278)
The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary
winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the
appearance of unity among men.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 66-67)
We ask God, exalted be His glory, to confirm each one of the friends in
that land in the acquisition of such praiseworthy characteristics as
shall conduce to the spread of justice and equity among the peoples of
the world. The first, the fundamental purpose underlying creation
hath ever been, and will continue to be, none other than the appearance
of trustworthiness and godliness, of sincerity and goodwill amongst
mankind, for these qualities are the cause of peace, security and
tranquillity. Blessed are those who possess such virtues.
(Baha'u'llah: Trustworthiness, p. 328)
O handmaid of God, peace must first be established among individuals,
until it leadeth in the end to peace among nations. Wherefore, O
ye Baha'is, strive ye with all your might to create, through the power
of the Word of God, genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds
among individuals.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 246)
Service to Humanity:
With the utmost friendliness and in a spirit of perfect fellowship take
ye counsel together, and dedicate the precious days of your lives to
the betterment of the world and the promotion of the Cause of Him Who
is the Ancient and Sovereign Lord of all.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 184)
Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed
upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify
the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through pure and
holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, pp. 93-94)
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy
of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and
friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an
answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy
pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech.
Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a
lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for
the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of
the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness
distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to
the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to
the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an
ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity,
a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body
of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the
horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the
ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem
of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit
upon the tree of humility.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 285)
Act in accordance with the counsels of the Lord: that is, rise up
in such wise, and with such qualities, as to endow the body of this
world with a living soul, and to bring this young child, humanity, to
the stage of adulthood. So far as ye are able, ignite a candle of
love in every meeting, and with tenderness rejoice and cheer ye every
heart. Care for the stranger as for one of your own; show to
alien souls the same loving kindness ye bestow upon your faithful
friends. Should any come to blows with you, seek to be friends with
him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve unto his
sores; should any taunt and mock at you, meet him with love.
Should any heap his blame upon you, praise ye him; should he offer you
a deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and should he
threaten your life, grant him a remedy that will heal him evermore.
Should he be pain itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be
ye his roses and sweet herbs. Perchance such ways and words from
you will make this darksome world turn bright at last; will make this
dusty earth turn heavenly, this devilish prison place become a royal
palace of the Lord - so that war and strife will pass and be no more,
and love and trust will pitch their tents on the summits of the world.
Such is the essence of God's admonitions; such in sum are the teachings
for the Dispensation of Baha.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 34)
Other Virtues and Actions:
All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing
civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like
the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that
befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and
loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 215)
Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your
souls with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye
deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God
amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His
people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations,
have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the
lost. Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed towards the
mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous
remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and
bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His good-pleasure.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 297)
O people of God! I admonish you to observe courtesy, for above
all else it is the prince of virtues. Well is it with him who is
illumined with the light of courtesy and is attired with the vesture of
uprightness. Whoso is endued with courtesy hath indeed attained a
sublime station. It is hoped that this Wronged One and everyone
else may be enabled to acquire it, hold fast unto it, observe it, and
fix our gaze upon it.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 88)
Trustworthiness, wisdom and honesty are, of a truth, God's beauteous
adornments for His creatures. These fair garments are a befitting
vesture for every temple. Happy are those that comprehend, and
well is it with them that acquire such virtues.
(Baha'u'llah: Trustworthiness, p. 334)
In all matters moderation is desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 69)
It behoveth, likewise, the loved ones of God to be forbearing towards
their fellow-men, and to be so sanctified and detached from all things,
and to evince such sincerity and fairness, that all the peoples of the
earth may recognize them as the trustees of God amongst men.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 242)
If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin.
(Baha'u'llah: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 55)
Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues. Without
truthfulness progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are
impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is established
in man, all the divine qualities will also be acquired.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Trustworthiness, p. 338)
Do harm to nobody; pray for all; try to make your light shine in the
world and let your banner fly high in the Heavens. The beautiful
perfume of your noble lives will permeate everywhere. The light
of truth kindled in your hearts will shine out to the distant horizon!
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, p. 118)
Appreciation of God's Gifts:
Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to
wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm
can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between
him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in
the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe
in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath
allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties.
Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly
thankful.
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, p. 276)
It must be remembered, however, that the maintenance of such a high
standard of moral conduct is not to be associated or confused with any
form of asceticism, or of excessive and bigoted puritanism. The
standard inculcated by Baha'u'llah seeks, under no circumstances, to
deny anyone the legitimate right and privilege to derive the fullest
advantage and benefit from the manifold joys, beauties, and pleasures
with which the world has been so plentifully enriched by an All-Loving
Creator.
(Shoghi Effendi: The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 33)
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Bahá’ís
of Dana Point, California, USA - all rights reserved.