The “core of religious faith”

…the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling that unites man with God. This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer on 8 December 1935, quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 12 June 1984 written on its behalf to an individual believer; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

We should tread the path of truthfulness and righteousness

O pure soul! Follow thou in the footsteps of the truthful and tread the way of the righteous, so that, through truthfulness, thou mayest come to occupy a Seat of Truth, [Qur'án, 54:55] and, through righteousness, thou mayest attain to abiding honour. If the sum of all sins were to be weighed in the balance, falsehood would, on its own, countervail them; nay, its evils would even outweigh them and its detriment prove greater. It were better for thee that thou shouldst be a blasphemer and tell the truth than that thou shouldst mouth the formulas of faith and yet be a liar. These clear words are addressed as an admonition to the peoples of the world. Render thanks unto God that it is through thee that this counsel hath been addressed to all mankind. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá'í Virtue)

“religion must be the cause of fellowship and love”

…among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is that religion must be the cause of fellowship and love. If it becomes the cause of estrangement then it is not needed, for religion is like a remedy; if it aggravates the disease then it becomes unnecessary.  

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From first Tablet to the Hague, 17 December 1919; “’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablets to The Hague”, published by the Baha’i World Center; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

We should close our eyes to “the deficiencies of other souls”

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 from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha’)

Prophets of God

All Prophets of God are “the channels of God's grace…the exponents of His unity…the mirrors of His light and the revealers of His purpose…” 
- Baha'u'llah (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah’, included in ‘The World Order of Baha'u'llah’)

“The source of all good”

The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Manifestation of God reflects attributes of God to humanity

God is “immeasurably exalted… above the mention of every soul and the understanding of every heart!”; God is “immeasurably exalted… above the description of anyone”; God is “immeasurably exalted… beyond every conception” of His creatures

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of the world and the Ruler of the nations! I testify that Thou hast from eternity been sanctified above the mention of all created things and exalted beyond the loftiest descriptions of Thy creatures. Whensoever Thy devoted servants sought to ascend unto the station of Thy recognition, the hosts of Thy knowledge barred their way; and whensoever Thy near ones desired to gain admittance to the heaven of Thy nearness, the overpowering majesty of Thine utterance kept them back. We bear witness that the loftiest of the divine names are but servants at Thy door, and that their most glorious manifestations bow down before Thy countenance and are humbled in Thy presence. Thou art, in truth, He Who can neither be described in letters, nor evoked by words, nor even contained within the hidden meanings they conceal. For these are all circumscribed by the inherent limitations of speech which characterize all the utterances of the peoples of the world.

Good deeds that a human being should be distinguished by

To be truthful; To be trustworthy; To be faithful; To be righteous and fear God; To be just and fair; To be tactful and wise; To be courteous; To be hospitable ; To be persevering; To be detached; To be absolutely submissive to the Will of God; Not to stir up mischief; Not to be hypocritical; Not to be proud; Not to be fanatical; Not to prefer one's self to one's neighbour; Not to contend with one's neighbour; Not to indulge one's passions; Not to lament in adversity; Not to contend with those in authority; Not to lose one's temper; and Not to anger one's neighbour. 

- Shoghi Effendi  ('Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas', included in ‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

We have “three aspects of our humanness, so to speak, a body, a mind and an immortal identity—soul or spirit”

What the Bahá’ís do believe.. is that we have three aspects of our humanness, so to speak, a body, a mind and an immortal identity—soul or spirit. We believe the mind forms a link between the soul and the body, and the two interact on each other.

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, June 7th, 1946; ‘Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand’)

To become “receptive of the divine light” one needs to “polish the mirror” of her/his “heart”

The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection, although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, New York, 14 April 1912; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)

How we should respond to anger directed at us

Should anyone wax angry with you, respond to him with gentleness; and should anyone upbraid you, forbear to upbraid him in return, but leave him to himself and put your trust in God…the Lord of might and justice. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

The “ornament of every belief and its very foundation”

Blessed is the man that hath acknowledged his belief in God and in His signs, and recognized that “He shall not be asked of His doings”. Such a recognition hath been made by God the ornament of every belief and its very foundation. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

We should be concerned with the needs of the age we live in

Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

God is “exalted above the comprehension of all things”

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His are the kingdoms in the heavens and on the earth and all that is between them. He is exalted above the comprehension of all things, and is inscrutable to the mind of every created being; none shall be able to fathom the oneness of His Being or to unravel the nature of His Existence. No peer or likeness, no similitude or equal can ever be joined with Him. Yield ye praise then unto Him and glorify Him and bear ye witness to the sanctity and oneness of His Being and magnify His might and majesty with wondrous glorification. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb’)

How to become nearer to God

The essential thing and the real nearness to God, is to be steadfast in the Religion of God, to serve His Cause and to be in Servitude at the Threshold of Unity. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 16, December 31, 1911)

We should love the whole world

It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Peace)

The “dead body should be treated with the utmost honour and respect”

As this physical frame is the throne of the inner temple, whatever occurs to the former is felt by the latter. In reality that which takes delight in joy or is saddened by pain is the inner temple of the body, not the body itself. Since this physical body is the throne whereon the inner temple is established, God hath ordained that the body be preserved to the extent possible, so that nothing that causeth repugnance may be experienced. The inner temple beholdeth its physical frame, which is its throne. Thus, if the latter is accorded respect, it is as if the former is the recipient. The converse is likewise true.

Therefore, it hath been ordained that the dead body should be treated with the utmost honour and respect.
- The Báb  (Excerpt from the Persian Bayan, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

Not to harm any soul

Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be blessed, all be forgiven. 

- ‘Abdu'l-Baha  (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha)

Mankind is One Family