..a humble attempt to highlight some of the spiritual gems contained in prayers revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

February 5, 2012

The Báb’s feelings towards Baha’u’llah

Insights from this prayer by the Báb
  • The Báb asks God to cause the “Tree of the Bayan” “to be made into a magnificent Scroll” so that it could be “offered to the presence of Him Whom Thou wilt make manifest”
  • The Báb asks God
    • by God’s “bounty”,
    • by the “outpourings” of His “mercy and bestowals”
    • and by the “evidences” of His “heavenly favours and grace”, to  watch over Him Whom God shall make manifest that no trace of despondency may ever touch Him.”

February 4, 2012

How we should view our dependency and interactions with Baha’u’llah

Insights from this prayer by 'Abdu'l-Baha
  • “we come with no provision but our sins,”, “with no good deeds to tell of, only hopes.”
  • “Unless” Baha’u’llah’s “concealing veil” would cover us and His “protection shield and cradle us, what power” do we “helpless souls” have to rise and serve” Him, “what substance” do we the “wretched ones” have “to make a brave display?”
  • We need Him to “help us”, to “favour us”;
  • “ withered as we are,” we need Baha’u’llah to “revive us with showers from” His “clouds of grace”;
  • “lowly as we are,” we need Baha’u’llah to “illumine us with bright rays from the Day-Star” of His “oneness.”
  • We need Baha’u’llah to “Cast” “these thirsty fish into the ocean of Thy mercy,”
  • We need Baha’u’llah to “guide … this lost caravan to the shelter” of His “singleness;”
  • We need Baha’u’llah to “lead... the ones who have wandered far astray” to the “wellspring of guidance”;
  • We need Baha’u’llah to “grant to those who have missed the path a haven within the precincts” of His “might”;
  • We humbly ask Baha’u’llah to:
    • “Lift Thou to these parched lips the bounteous and soft-flowing waters of heaven,”
    • “raise up these dead to everlasting life.”
    • “Grant Thou to the blind eyes that will see.”
    • “Make Thou the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak.”
    • “Set Thou the dispirited ablaze,”
    • “make Thou the heedless mindful,”
    • “warn Thou the proud,”
    • “awaken those who sleep.”

February 3, 2012

Some of the metaphors representing Baha’u’llah

Insights from this prayer by 'Abdu'l-Baha
  • “Cloud of Mercy,”
  • “Flowering Bed of grace”
  • “Sea of all bestowals”
  • “Sun of Bounty”

February 1, 2012

How our attitude should be towards God’s latest Manifestation, Baha’u’llah

Insights from this prayer by 'Abdu'l-Baha
  • He is our “holy Lord”
  • He is our “Lord of loving-kindness”
  • We “stray about” His “dwelling”,
  • We long to “behold” His “beauty,”
  • We love “all” His “ways.”
  • “We are hapless, lowly, and of small account.”
  • “We are paupers: show us mercy, give us bounty;
  • We ask Him not to “look … upon our failings”;
  • We ask Him to “hide … our endless sins.”;
  • “Whatever we are, still are we Thine”;
  • “what we speak and hear is praise of Thee”;
  • “it is Thy face we seek, Thy path we follow.”