Expanding love & unity
Love is a most precious and longed for bond between us. The Bahá´í literature has a rich array of insights on how to increase love in our hearts, between friends, and within institutions.
'Abdu'l-Bahá's descriptions of Love
Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God's holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God's revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation.
Whatsoever people is graciously favoured therewith by God, its name shall surely be magnified and extolled by the Concourse from on high, by the company of angels, and the denizens of the Abha Kingdom...
O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive to become the manifestations of the love of God, the lamps of divine guidance shining amongst the kindreds of the earth with the light of love and concord.
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 27)
'Abdu'l-Bahá's Litany of love
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I am in receipt of thy last letter which indicateth thy exceeding love for Abdul-Baha, thy confidence 525 in God, and thy good and sincere intention in the service of the Cause of God.
Excellent is the statement given by thee in that precious letter -- that ye are in need of love and affinity in that country to unite the hearts and spirits.
This is the truth and there is naught beyond the truth save error. Know thou assuredly that-
Love is the mystery of divine revelations!
Love is the effulgent manifestation!
Love is the spiritual fulfillment!
Love is the light of the Kingdom!
Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit inspired into the human spirit!
Love is the cause of the manifestation of the Truth (God) in the phenomenal world!
Love is the necessary tie proceeding from the realities of things through divine creation!
Love is the means of the most great happiness in both the material and spiritual worlds!
Love is a light of guidance in the dark night!
Love is a bond between the Creator and the creature in the inner world!
Love is the cause of development to every enlightened man!
Love is the greatest law in this vast universe of God!
Love is the one law which causeth and controlleth order among the existing atoms!
Love is the universal magnetic power between the planets and stars shining in the lofty firmament! 526
Love is the cause of unfoldment to a searching mind, of the secrets deposited in the universe by the Infinite!
Love is the spirit of life in the bountiful body of the world!
Love is the cause of the civilization of nations in this mortal world!
Love is the highest honor to every righteous nation!
The people who are confirmed therein are indeed glorified by the Supreme Concourse, the angels of heaven and the dwellers of the Kingdom of El-ABHA!...
O beloved of God! Be ye the manifestations of God and the lamps of guidance throughout all regions shining with the light of love and union!
How beautiful the effulgence of this light!
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá v3, p. 526)
About Us
Love in our hearts
Love between friends
Love between friends
1. O SON OF SPIRIT!
My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words)
3. O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold..
1. O SON OF SPIRIT!
My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words)
3. O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold...
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Persian Hidden Words)
The essence of love is for man to turn his heart to the Beloved One, and sever himself from all else but Him, and desire naught save that which is the desire of his Lord.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 155)
Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; 'Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill.
(Abdu'l- Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 30)
Love between friends
Love between friends
Love between friends
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.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 316)
Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another. Let
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.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 316)
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- Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 92)
A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding...
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 289)
Love in Insitutions
Love between friends
Love in Insitutions
Therefore, true consultation is spiritual conference in the attitude and atmosphere of love. Members must love each other in the spirit of fellowship in order that good results may be forthcoming. Love and fellowship are the foundation.
(Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 72)
I entreat God that your assembly wax greater d
Therefore, true consultation is spiritual conference in the attitude and atmosphere of love. Members must love each other in the spirit of fellowship in order that good results may be forthcoming. Love and fellowship are the foundation.
(Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 72)
I entreat God that your assembly wax greater day by day and the meeting of the love of God become adorned with celestial attributes, so that the confirmation of the Kingdom of God descend continually.
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 555)
There is not one soul whose conscience does not testify that in this day there is no more important matter in the world than that of Universal Peace. Every just one bears witness to this and adores that esteemed Assembly because its aim is that this darkness may be changed into light, this bloodthirstiness into kindness, this torment into bliss, this hardship into ease and this enmity and hatred into fellowship and love. Therefore, the effort of those esteemed souls is worthy of praise and commendation
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet to the Hague, p. 3)
That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 265)