O God! O God! This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow – assist him so that he may fly toward the apex of prosperity and salvation, wing his way with the utmost joy and happiness throughout the illimitable space, raise his melody in Thy Supreme Name in all the regions, exhilarate the ears with this call, and brighten the eyes by beholding the signs of guidance.

O Lord! I am single, alone and lowly. For me there is no support save Thee, no helper except Thee and no sustainer beside Thee. Confirm me in Thy service, assist me with the cohorts of Thy angels, make me victorious in the promotion of  Thy Word and suffer me to speak out Thy wisdom amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the helper of the weak and the defender of the little ones, and verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the Unconstrained.

                                                                                                               ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

O thou handmaid of God! In this day, to thank God for His bounties consisteth in possessing a radiant heart, and a soul open to the promptings of the spirit. This is the essence of thanksgiving.

As for offering thanks by speaking out or writing, although this is indeed acceptable, yet when compared with that other thanksgiving, it is only a semblance and unreal; for the essential thing is these intimations of the spirit, these emanations from the deep recess of the heart. It is my hope that thou wilt be favoured therewith.

Regarding one’s lack of capacity and one’s undeserving on the Day of Resurrection, this does not cause one to be shut out from gifts and bounties; for this is not the Day of Justice but the Day of Grace, while justice is allotting to each whatever is his due. Then look thou not at the degree of thy capacity, look thou at the boundless favour of Bahá’u’lláh; all-encompassing is His bounty, and consummate His grace.

                                                                                                      ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Photo courtesy of http://iran.bahai.us/.

They are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naemi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm.

They are among the most recent victims in Iran of oppression, intolerance, ignorance, and a self-centered interest by a corrupt, entrenched, and fanatical clergy intent on oppressing a religious minority that has been able to do what no other religion or belief has been able to do in that once great country: succeed – succeed in helping hundreds of thousands of Iranians realize that there is a successor to the Prophet Muhammad, and that His name is Bahá’u’lláh. For 165 years this clergy, with the help of timid governments afraid to challenge their authority, has done whatever it could get away with to eradicate this religious community, those who profess the Bahá’í Faith.

What does our Faith teach us that would cause a just Iranian government to treat Bahá’ís so? Here it is:

In every country where any of this people reside, they must behave towards the government of that country with loyalty, honesty and truthfulness. This is that which hath been revealed at the behest of Him Who is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.

 Bahá’u’lláh

What harmful way have the Bahá’ís in Iran been taught to behave toward Muslims and people of other faiths that would justify such mistreatment by the clergy in that land? This is it:

Consort with all religions with amity and concord, that they may inhale from you the sweet fragrance of God. Beware lest amidst men the flame of foolish ignorance overpower you. All things proceed from God and unto Him they return. He is the source of all things and in Him all things are ended.

 Bahá’u’lláh

The followers of Bahá’u’lláh in that land, as in every country, have never varied from these standards. These are our standards. These are our beliefs. These are our practice and our commitment. They have not varied in the past and they will not vary in the future.

The trial of the seven leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran could take place this week. They have been charged with spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. These charges are unfounded and no evidence against them has been brought to light. The Baha’i leaders have been held for nearly a year in Evin prison and denied access to their attorney, the Nobel Laureate, Shirin Ebadi. [from http://iran.bahai.us/]

You can play your role as a citizen of the world to oppose this injustice by asking your own government to complain. Citizens of the United States can contact their Representatives in the House and their Senators to support resolutions condemning this behavior. It is a message that says “We know what you’re doing. We have not forgotten. We will not forget. ” U.S. citizens may do this online at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

How can Iran ever re-establish itself as a proud and great country when it treats its own people with such disregard and disrespect?

We beseech God to aid thee to be just and fair-minded,  and to acquaint thee with the things that were hidden from the eyes of men. He, in truth, is the Mighty, the Unconstrained. We ask thee to reflect upon that which hath been revealed, and to be fair and just in thy speech, that perchance the splendors of the daystar of truthfulness and sincerity may shine forth, and may deliver thee from the darkness of ignorance, and illumine the world with the light of knowledge.

 Bahá’u’lláh

And

Say: Honesty, virtue, wisdom and a saintly character redound to the exaltation of man, while dishonesty, imposture, ignorance and hypocrisy lead to his abasement.

 Bahá’u’lláh

A spiritual truth:

This Cause, as very Divine Cause, cannot be effectively established unless it encounters and valiantly triumphs over the forces of opposition with which it is assailed. The history of the Faith is in itself a sufficient proof of that. Trials and persecutions have always been, and will continue to be, the lot of the chosen ones of God. But these they should consider as blessing in disguise, as through them their faith will be quickened, purified and strengthened. Bahá’u’lláh compared such afflictive trials to the oil which feeds the lamp of the Cause of God

From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi in 1936

A prayer for protection:

O God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the evils of self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy loving kindness from all rancor, hate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy Cause and, safe from the darts of doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy glorious Signs, illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed from the Dayspring of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thy all-swaying power that cometh from Thy Realm of Glory. Thou art the All-bountiful, the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious!

 ‘Abdu’l-Baha

An assurance of victory:

There is no need to fear opposition from without if the life within be sound and vigorous. Our Heavenly Father will always give us the strength to meet and overcome tests if we turn with all our hearts to Him, and difficulties if they are met in the right spirit only make us rely on God more firmly and completely

 From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi in 1925

Contact your Congressional Representatives to encourage them to take action against the repression of the Bahá’ís in Iran and the lack of religious freedom in that country. This can be done online at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Photo courtesy of www.bahai-biblio.org/.

My God, Whom I worship and adore! I bear witness unto Thy unity and Thy oneness, and acknowledge Thy gifts, both in the past and in the present. Thou art the All-Bountiful, the overflowing showers of Whose mercy have rained down upon high and low alike, and the splendors of Whose grace have been shed over both the obedient and the rebellious.

O God of mercy, before Whose door the quintessence of mercy hath bowed down, and round the sanctuary of Whose Cause loving-kindness, in its inmost spirit, hath circled, we beseech Thee, entreating Thine ancient grace, and seeking Thy present favor, that Thou mayest have mercy upon all who are the manifestations of the world of being, and deny them not the outpourings of Thy grace in Thy days.

All are but poor and needy, and Thou, verily, art the All-Possessing, the All-Subduing, the All-Powerful.

– Bahá’u’lláh

The seven Bahá’ís in Iran who supervised the affairs of the Faith in that country until their arrest in early 2008 will go on trial on charges of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” These spurious charges are the latest in a continuing effort by the clergy and government of that country to harm the entire Iranian Bahá’í community and are an example of the lack of religious freedom and exists with regard to other religions.  How can you help?

Hold your own prayer gatherings.

Organize prayer gatherings in your community, in consultation with your Local Spiritual Assembly, for the safety of these Bahá’í leaders and for the improvement in the deplorable lack of religious freedom in Iran. Contact your Muslim, Christian, and Jewish friends, interfaith groups, and others concerned about religious freedom in Iran. Be sure to avoid discussion or involvement in partisan politics.

Contact your Congressional Representatives. This can be done online at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Photo courtesy of www.bahai-biblio.org/

O ye beloved of the Lord! The Kingdom of God is founded upon equity and justice, and also upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to every living soul. Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind — except for those who have some selfish, private motive, or some disease of the soul. Kindness cannot be shown the tyrant, the deceiver, or the thief, because, far from awakening them to the error of their ways, it maketh them to continue in their perversity as before. No matter how much kindliness ye may expend upon the liar, he will but lie the more, for he believeth you to be deceived, while ye understand him but too well, and only remain silent out of your extreme compassion.

Briefly, it is not only their fellow human beings that the beloved of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they show forth the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature. For in all physical respects, and where  the animal spirit is concerned, the selfsame feelings are shared by animal and man. Man hath not grasped this truth, however, and he believeth that physical sensations are confined to human beings, wherefore is he unjust to the animals, and cruel.

And yet in truth, what difference is there when it cometh to physical sensations? The feelings are one and the same, whether ye inflict pain on man or on beast. There is no difference here whatever. And indeed ye do worse to harm an animal, for man hath a language, he can lodge a complaint, he can cry out and moan; if injured he can have recourse to the authorities and these will protect him from his aggressor. But the hapless beast is mute, able neither to express its hurt nor take its case to the authorities. If a man inflict a thousand ills upon a beast, it can neither ward him off with speech nor hale him into court. Therefore is it essential that ye show forth the utmost consideration to the animal, and that ye be even kinder to him than to your fellow man.

Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and loving to animals. If an animal be sick, let the children try to heal it, if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let them quench its thirst, if weary, let them see that it rests.

Most human beings are sinners, but the beasts are innocent. Surely those without sin should receive the most kindness and love — all except animals which are harmful, such as bloodthirsty wolves, such as poisonous snakes, and similar pernicious creatures, the reason being that kindness to these is an injustice to human beings and to other animals as well. If, for example, ye be tender-hearted toward a wolf, this is but tyranny to a sheep, for a wolf will destroy a whole flock of sheep. A rabid dog, if given the chance, can kill a  thousand animals and men. Therefore, compassion shown to wild and ravening beasts is cruelty to the peaceful ones — and so the harmful must be dealt with. But to blessed animals the utmost kindness must be shown, the more the better. Tenderness and loving-kindness are basic principles of God’s heavenly Kingdom. Ye should most carefully bear this matter in mind.

                                                                                                                      ‘Abdu’l-Bahá