Ingredients for Life

Empty Your Cup pg. 96

                  

“One of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh which was revealed after His return from Sulaymaniyyih is The Seven Valleys. This work stands out as a masterpiece of mystical composition. It was written in response to the questions of Shaykh Muhyi’d-Din, the judge of the town of Khaniqayn, who was a Sufi[1]. Although not a Bábí, he was an admirer of Bahá’u’lláh and had written a letter to Him, expressing certain thoughts and posing some questions in mystical terms.
[1- A member of a Muslim mystical cult.]

The theme of The Seven Valleys is the journey of the soul from its abode in this world to the realms of nearness to God. The seven stages in the journey were already familiar to the Sufis, having been described by Faridu’d-Din-i-‘Attar, an outstanding exponent of Sufism in its early stages. Bahá’u’lláh elucidates the profound meaning and significance of these seven stages.

First comes ‘The Valley of Search’, wherein is described the path which a true seeker must take to attain his object, which is the recognition of the Manifestation of God for the age in which he lives. Before everything else he must ‘cleanse the heart — which is the well-spring of divine treasures — from every marking’, must turn away from following ‘the traces of … forefathers and sires’ and must ‘shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the earth’. He must sacrifice ‘whatever he hath seen, and heard, and understood …’ Ardour, zeal and patience are the necessary qualities for him on this plane.”

-Adib Taherzadeh

Humility pg. 89-95

“After this incident, I decided in my heart to investigate and began to observe the person of Bahá’u’lláh and His actions very carefully. The more I observed the less I discovered any sign which could point to His claiming a station. On the contrary, I observed in Him nothing, either in word or deed, except humility, self-effacement, servitude and utter nothingness. As a result, I was led into grievous error, believing that I was in every way superior to Bahá’u’lláh, and preferred my own self to Him.

It was through my vain imagining that in the gatherings of the friends I always used to occupy the seat of honour, assume the function of the speaker and would not give an opportunity to Bahá’u’lláh or anyone else to say anything. One afternoon, Bahá’u’lláh arranged a meeting in His house and a number of friends had gathered, as usual, in the same large room, a room around which, according to the Pen of the Most High, circle in adoration the people of Baha. Again, I occupied the seat of honour. Bahá’u’lláh sat in the midst of the friends and was serving tea with His own hands.

In the course of the meeting, a certain question was asked. Having satisfied myself that no one in the room was capable of tackling the problem, I began to speak. All the friends were attentively listening and were absolutely silent, except Bahá’u’lláh Who occasionally, while agreeing with my exposition, made a few comments on the subject. Gradually He took over and I became silent. His explanations were so profound and the ocean of His utterance surged with such a power that my whole being was overtaken with awe and fear. Spellbound by His words, I was plunged into a state of dazed bewilderment. After a few minutes of listening to His words  — words of unparalleled wonder and majesty — I became dumbfounded. I could no longer hear His voice. Only by the movement of His lips did I know that He was still speaking. I felt deeply ashamed and troubled that I was occupying the seat of honour in that meeting. I waited impatiently until I saw that His lips were no longer moving when I knew that He had finished talking. Like a helpless bird which is freed from the claws of a mighty falcon I rose to my feet and went out. There three times I hit my head hard against the wall and rebuked myself for my spiritual blindness.”  -Nabil-i-Akbar

-Adib Taherzadeh

   

Power pg. 84-88

               

“They took Mulla Rida into the prison yard and most brutally flogged his bare back. However, in spite of old age and the rigours of prison life, he remained steadfast as a rock throughout the ordeal. He neither budged nor did he raise the faintest cry, nor did his face bear the slightest expression of agony. It seemed as if he had momentarily lost his sense of feeling. All the friends were profoundly shocked and shaken at the sight of his suffering and soon after the torturing, I hurriedly went over to offer my sympathy and to dress his wounds. Mulla Rida, greatly surprised at my behaviour, shouted triumphantly: “O, Siyyid Asadu’llah! Do you really think I am hurt? At the time of flogging I felt like a drunken elephant and never felt the slightest pain. I was in the presence of Bahá’u’lláh, talking to him.”’

“Among the non-Bahá’í prisoners who witnessed this harrowing scene there was a distinguished man by the name of Ghulam-Rida Khan, whose heart was deeply touched and transformed at the sight of the superhuman endurance manifested by the victim, and the interest and surprise thus aroused led him to investigate. His search for truth was soon rewarded by confirmation and he eventually became a devoted believer. When released from prison, this same man was asked how he happened to become a Bahá’í. ‘I received my light from the floggings,’ he said and added, ‘If instead hundreds of verses from the Qur’án had been recited to me or a thousand reasons adduced to convince me of the truth of this Message, none would have influenced me as did the unruffled calm which the old, stout-hearted Mulla Rida evinced under torture.”

 -The Revelation of Baha’u’llah p. 88

Even though Mulla Rida was most likely being literal when he said he was elsewhere communing with Baha’u’llah and that is why he felt no pain, I was amused by the idea that maybe we could all detach from any hardship and avoid giving the issue power. I wonder if that would work in any possible scenario and if so, what kind of wisdom could be derived from it, instead of pain.

Spiritual Qualities Prayer

“From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my God, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of Thy good pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within 142 the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Daystar of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my God!

Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Highest.”

—Bahá’u’lláh

Healing Prayer

“Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my Hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me, is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

-Baha’u’llah

The Riches pg. 75

   

“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.”

-Bahá’u’lláh

On the other hand, Bahá’u’lláh has warned the rich in these words:

“O ye that pride yourselves on mortal riches! Know ye in truth that wealth is a mighty barrier between the seeker and his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and resignation. Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the Most Great Name! The splendour of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!”

-Bahá’u’lláh

[Adib Taherzadeh]

The Bird pg. 74

“Ye are even as the bird which soareth, with the full force of its mighty wings and with complete and joyous confidence, through the immensity of the heavens, until, impelled to satisfy its hunger, it turneth longingly to the water and clay of the earth below it, and, having been entrapped in the mesh of its desire, findeth itself impotent to resume its flight to the realms whence it came. Powerless to shake off the burden weighing on its sullied wings, that bird, hitherto an inmate of the heavens, is now forced to seek a dwelling-place upon the dust…”

-Baha’u’llah

I’m Back!

I had midterms for the past week, hence the scarce blogging. Sorry, I am back now so stay tuned 

The Veil pg. 80-83

Only two letters out of three (B, H and A) have been revealed in this Dispensation, that the full significance and potency of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh which have been symbolically contained within the three letters of His name, have not been disclosed to mankind and that only a limited measure of His light and glory has been shed upon humanity in this age. To this Bahá’u’lláh has testified in one of His Tablets:

“Know verily that the veil hiding Our countenance hath not been completely lifted. We have revealed Our Self to a degree corresponding to the capacity of the people of Our age. Should the Ancient Beauty be unveiled in the fullness of His glory mortal eyes would be blinded by the dazzling intensity of His revelation.”

-Adib Taherzadeh